BEIJING – China has shared most of its COVID-19 data and research results with the international community, and that work tracing the origins of the coronavirus should be carried out in other countries, its foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
In a statement on Monday, the World Health Organization again called on China to share data and access in efforts to understand the origins of COVID-19, the first cases of which were detected in central China five years ago.
“This is a moral and scientific imperative,” the WHO said in a statement to mark what it called the “milestone” anniversary.
“Without transparency, sharing, and co-operation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics,” it added.
The WHO recounted how on 31 December 2019, its country office in China picked up a media statement from health authorities in Wuhan concerning cases of “viral pneumonia” in the city.
“In the weeks, months, and years that unfolded after that, Covid-19 came to shape our lives and our world,” the UN health agency said.
Earlier this month, the WHO’s director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressed the issue of whether the world was better prepared for the next pandemic than it was for Covid-19.
“The answer is yes and no,” he told a press conference, adding that the world would face “the same weaknesses and vulnerabilities that gave Covid-19 a foothold five years ago.”
“But the world has also learned many of the painful lessons the pandemic taught us, and has taken significant steps to strengthen its defences against future epidemics and pandemics.”
In December 2021, countries decided to start drafting an accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response in the wake of COVID-19. Accordingly, the WHO’s 194 member states have largely agreed on the general framework of the treaty, but remain divided over its implementation details.
A significant point of contention exists between wealthier nations, which are home to major pharmaceutical industries, and poorer countries, which are concerned about being excluded or marginalized if another pandemic strikes.
The deadline for finalizing the negotiations is set for May 2025, with a focus on reaching an agreement to ensure the rapid sharing of emerging pathogens and the equitable distribution of pandemic-fighting resources.
