London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

China accuses WHO of 'attempting to smear' Beijing after boss says data about COVID origins 'should have been shared years ago'

China accuses WHO of 'attempting to smear' Beijing after boss says data about COVID origins 'should have been shared years ago'

Samples of genetic material collected at a market in Wuhan - where the first cases were detected - showed DNA from raccoon dogs mingled with the virus. Chinese health officials defended their search for the source of the virus.

China has accused the World Health Organisation (WHO) of "attempting to smear" Beijing after the global health body's boss said data linking the origins of coronavirus to raccoon dogs should have been shared years ago.

Samples of genetic material collected at a market in Wuhan - where the first cases were detected in late 2019 - showed DNA from raccoon dogs mingled with the virus.

Last month the WHO's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the newly disclosed genetic material "should have been shared three years ago".

Chinese health officials defended their search for the source of the virus, branding the WHO chief's remarks as "offensive and disrespectful".

Shen Hongbing, director of the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said the WHO was "attempting to smear China" and should avoid helping others "politicise COVID-19".

"As a responsible country and as scientists, we have always actively shared research results with scientists from around the world," he said at a news conference.

Raccoon dogs have been linked to the origins of COVID


Outbreak origins still debated


The origins of the outbreak are still being debated and have become the focus of bitter political disputes.

Many scientists believe the virus jumped from animals to humans at the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, the location of the first known COVID outbreak.

However, there have been suggestions it came from a lab leak in the city, which houses several laboratories - including China's top facility for collecting viruses.

The ruling Communist Party has tried to deflect criticism of its handling of the outbreak by spreading uncertainty about its origins, with officials repeating anti-US conspiracy theories the virus was created in Washington and smuggled into China.

The government has also said the virus may have entered China on mail or food shipments - though scientists have seen no evidence to support that theory.

Chinese officials initially suppressed information about the Wuhan outbreak in 2019 and punished a doctor who warned others of the new disease.

The ruling party reversed course in early 2020 and shut down access to major cities and international travel in a futile attempt to contain the disease.

The Wuhan Institute of Virology where it is claimed COVID-19 may have escaped from


The genetic material the WHO referred to was uploaded to a global database recently but collected in 2020 at the Wuhan market where wildlife was sold.

Scientists said it adds to evidence for the hypothesis coronavirus came from animals rather than a lab leak - though it does not resolve the question of where it started. They said the virus might have spread to raccoon dogs from humans.

Last month the director of the FBI said the agency believes COVID-19 "most likely" came from a lab leak in China, though four other US agencies, along with a national intelligence panel, still believe the pandemic was likely the result of natural transmission, while two are undecided.

The information was removed by Chinese officials from the database after foreign scientists asked the CDC about it, but it had been copied by a French expert and shared with researchers outside of China.

Mr Shen said scientists investigated the possibility of a lab leak and "fully shared our research and data without any concealment or reservation".

He said the source of COVID-19 had yet to be found but noted it took years to identify the AIDS virus and its origins are still unclear.

"Some forces and figures who instigate and participate in politicising the traceability issue and attempting to smear China should not assume that the vision of the scientific community around the world will be blinded by their clumsy manipulation," Mr Shen said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
×