Let's not politicize probe of virus origins: WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on COVID-19 outbreak

"There is nothing to hide. We want to know the coronavirus origin, and that`s it," said WHO Director-General.

File Photo (Twitter/@WHO)

GENEVA: The World Health Organization`s director-general urged countries on Monday not to politicize the hunt for the origins of the novel coronavirus as that would create barriers to learning the truth.

"We need to know the origin of this virus because it can help us to prevent future outbreaks," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a daily briefing.

"There is nothing to hide. We want to know the origin, and that`s it."

Chinese state media have said the COVID-19 existed abroad before it was discovered in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, citing the presence of coronavirus on imported frozen food packaging and scientific papers saying it had been circulating in Europe in 2019.