Experts urge global fight against pandemic

Robust support for WHO sought as China's sharing of expertise hailed

Scientists and economists in Europe have called for respecting science and joint efforts in the worldwide fight against COVID-19, rather than spreading conspiracy theories.

"I have seen no evidence for the allegation that this was some virus that escaped from a lab," said Dale Sanders, director of the John Innes Center, whose research focuses on plant and microbial science.

Last week, Fox News published a story based on "sources" claiming COVID-19 "likely" originated in a Wuhan laboratory.

"There is no reason to think that this is anything other than an internet conspiracy theory," Sanders said, comparing the report to a similar claim in the United Kingdom that 5G technology helps transmit the virus.

Sanders said China's experience and efforts in combating the virus had been "amazing", and provided lessons for countries that are now fighting the crisis.

"It has been great to see that China has developed preliminary protocols for lockdowns, which have been to some extent copied in the West, but not in all countries," he said.

"The Chinese response has been valuable and has informed the British response, and I respect that."

"The one thing the coronavirus crisis has taught us is the value and the importance of international cooperation," Sanders said, quoting what Dominic Raab, Britain's foreign secretary said on Friday during the government's daily briefing on the outbreak.

Sanders said that if international cooperation, especially on science, is compromised by the pandemic, the joint scientific endeavor will be also compromised, and it would be a loss for humanity.

"We need to work together, especially to keep these international relations secure and solid and develop them, to solve global problems," he said.

Worldwide responsibility

Joel Ruet, a French expert in emerging economies and president of The Bridge Tank, a Paris-based think tank, said that all countries should take responsibility for global health, which is one of the most valuable global resources.

"There are many tensions, discussions and debates on the World Health Organization these days," he said. "But we need to work together. We need to overcome the tensions and divisions."

"It will be science that will resolve all contentious matters and reveal facts and data in the future, but as of now, we need to urgently work on a common definition and provide tools to this organization," he stressed, referring to financial support to the WHO.

United States President Donald Trump said last week that he was going to halt funding to the WHO and accused the organization of "covering up the spread of the coronavirus".

But WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday at a news conference from Geneva that staff from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, were involved in the work at the WHO in response to the outbreak, which meant "there is nothing hidden from the US from Day One".

Ruet also said: "An organization without finance means without tools, and it will be a nonfunctional organization.

"We need to have a functional organization to offer global public benefits."

Meanwhile, the UK has pledged£200 million ($247 million) in aid to help developing nations battle the coronavirus, of which £65 million ($80 million) is for WHO, according to a BBC report.

And China has decided to donate another $30 million to the WHO to help contain the virus and support developing countries in improving their health systems, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Thursday.

China has previously donated $20 million to the WHO for tackling the pandemic.