Dutch virologist heads to Wuhan for WHO-study on coronavirus origin

Dutch virologist Marion Koopmans landed in the Chinese city of Wuhan on Thursday. She forms part of an international team of 12 experts who will be studying the origin of the coronavirus on behalf of the World Health Organization.

The researchers were tested for the coronavirus upon their arrival and will have to spend two weeks in quarantine, CGTN, reports. Afterward, the team will have two to three weeks to investigate the origin of the coronavirus together with their Chinese colleagues.

The WHO considers Wuhan to be ground zero for the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The researchers will pay special attention to the wet market in Wuhan, where the theory is that patient zero was infected while handling wild animals intended for human consumption.

According to the NOS, Chinese authorities think the WHO study is being conducted to blame China, but WHO denies this. “Understanding the origin of the disease is not about finding someone to blame,”  Michael Ryan says, WHO Executive Director of Health Emergencies, said to the broadcaster. 

Koopmans said the trip will be “to understand and to learn for the future.”