Geneva: 13 members of the international mission to study the origins of the virus arrived in Wuhan today. The other two were still in Singapore after they tested positive for IgM antibodies, but negative for PCR. They are now being retested for both IgM and IgG, and we are waiting for results, World Health Organisation Secretary-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus informed at the 6th meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee (EC) on COVID-19, here today.
Dr. Ghebreyesus informed that all members of the team had multiple negative PCR and antibody tests in their homes countries prior to traveling.
The team members who arrived in Wuhan will be in quarantine for the next two weeks, and will begin working remotely with counterparts in China. They will then continue their work on the ground for a further two weeks.
Following their meeting, the EC will issue a statement with recommendations to WHO and the Member States. Today the WHO D-G directed the EC to advice on two urgent issues which needed particular attention:
1. the recent emergence of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus;
2. the potential use of vaccination and testing certificates for international travel.
The IHR Emergency Committee for COVID-19 had held its first meeting on January 22-23, 2020. On January 30, 2020, following its second meeting, the Director-General accepted the Committee’s advice and declared that the outbreak constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The EC’s recommendations were issued as IHR Temporary Recommendations.
The Committee continues to meet on a regular basis – every 3 months. This time, the Director-General has convened the Committee two weeks earlier than the regular schedule to consider issues that need urgent discussion. These are the recent variants and considerations on the use vaccination and testing certificates for international travel.
– global bihari bureau
