Origin of COVID-19: India backs call for further studies

New Delhi, May 28: India has backed investigations to probe the origins of COVID-19. India also sought cooperation from China and other parties for such studies.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the World Health Organisation Study was an important first step. However more studies are needed he also said.

"The WHO convened global study on the origin of Covid-19 is an important first step. It stressed the need for next phase studies as also for further data and studies to reach robust conclusions," he said in a statement.

"The follow up of the WHO report and further studies deserve the understanding and cooperation of all," Bagchi also said.

This comes in the backdrop of a WHO led team which spent four weeks and submitted a report in which it stated that the virus possibly was transmitted from bats to humans through another animal. It also said that the introduction through a laboratory incident was considered to be an extremely unlikely pathway.

US President, Joe Biden had asked the intelligence agencies to submit a fresh report on the issue. Biden had asked the intelligence community to prepare a report on the origin of COVID-19 and also sought to know if it emerged from human contact with an infected laboratory accident. He had asked the intelligence community to redouble their efforts to collect and analyse information that could bring us closer to a definitive conclusion and report back in 90 days.