COVID-19 origin tracing: Claim emerges of 'intimidation' from the U.S.

A European biologist has come to the fore with a startling claim that a World Health Organization (WHO) advisory group on tracing the origins of pathogens, including the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, would become a "political tool."

Bearing the name Wilson Edwards, the person took to social media, including Facebook and Twitter, on July 24 to describe how much he was worried about the"WHO's independence."

On July 16, the WHO announced establishing the International Scientific Advisory Group for Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO), which Edwards said is a result of political pressure from the U.S.

Edwards went on to say that some of his fellow researchers were under "enormous pressure" and "intimidation" from the U.S. and some media outlets after they voiced support for the conclusions of the China-WHO joint study on the origins of COVID-19 in central China's Wuhan.

Edwards claimed that the U.S. was seeking to discredit the qualifications of the scientists involved in the study.

"The U.S. is so obsessed with attacking China on the origin-tracing issue that it is reluctant to open its eyes to the data and findings," Edwards quoted a WHO source as saying.