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Coronavirus: China ‘ready and open’ for WHO team visit to Wuhan in origin quest
- Top Chinese health official says terms have been agreed but the start date is still being determined
- Comments come after WHO chief voices frustration at Beijing over travel dates
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China is “enthusiastic, open and supportive” about a visit to Wuhan by a WHO team to investigate the source of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, a top Chinese health official said on Saturday.
Zeng Yixin, deputy director of the National Health Commission, said China and the World Health Organisation had agreed on terms of the research but the specific time of arrival was still being determined.
“We enthusiastically support the expert group from the WHO to conduct an investigation into the source of [the coronavirus],” Zeng said.
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“We have had four video meetings and conducted full and scientific discussions with the group during each meeting. We had candid consultations on specific arrangements for the process, focus, details and procedures of the investigation and reached agreement.”
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Seeking the invisible: hunt for origins of deadly Covid-19 coronavirus will take scientists to Wuhan
Seeking the invisible: hunt for origins of deadly Covid-19 coronavirus will take scientists to Wuhan
Zeng’s remarks came after the WHO publicly expressed frustration that Beijing had not given final approval for its team’s arrival in China.
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