China played down on Wednesday World Health Organization (WHO) concern about a delay in authorisation for a visit by team of experts looking into the origins of the novel coronavirus, saying arrangements were being worked out,
Reuters reports.
The head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Tuesday he was “very disappointed” that China had not authorised the entry of the team for the investigation, which he said was a WHO priority.
The novel coronavirus was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 and has since spread around the world.
Much remains unknown about its origins and China has been sensitive about any suggestion it could have done more in the early stages of the pandemic to stop it.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, told a regular news briefing in Beijing that the problem was “not just about visas” for the team.
