China should share raccoon dog's genetic data in Covid Probe, says WHO

The data could have and should have been shared three years ago, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday at a press conference

By Jason Gale, Thomas Mulier and Riley Griffin

The World Health Organization called on China to fully share genetic data that may help discern the origins of Covid-19 after it appeared briefly appeared on an international database.

A new analysis of specimens collected in January 2020 at a wet market in Wuhan where the initial human infections were detected found evidence of the virus along with large amounts of genetic material from raccoon dogs, according to a group of scientists spanning the US and Europe. The underlying data from Chinese researchers, which some outside experts said bolstered the idea that the