The World Health Organization said on Monday that comments by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo citing "evidence" that the new coronavirus had emerged from a Chinese laboratory were "speculative", and called for a science-based inquiry.
Pompeo said on Sunday there was "a significant amount of evidence" that the virus emerged from a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan, but did not dispute U.S. intelligence agencies' conclusion that it was not man-made.
Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO's top emergencies expert, told an online press conference from Geneva:
"We have not received any data-specific evidence from the U.S. government relating to the purported origin of the virus. So from our perspective, this remains speculative."
As an "evidence-based organization", Ryan said, the WHO was keen to receive any information on the origin of the virus, as this was "exceptionally important" for its future control. "So if that data and evidence are available, then it will be for the United States government to decide whether and when it can be shared," he said.
First published: 22:19, 05.04.20