Interview: Virus origin-tracing a "purely scientific" issue -- DR Congo virologist

KINSHASA, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Research into the origins of the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic is a "purely scientific" issue that needs to be resolved by scientists, a top virologist from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Jean-Jacques Muyembe, director of the National Institute for Biomedical Research and coordinator in charge of the country's COVID-19 response, supported the conclusion of the WHO-China joint mission report released in March, according to which a lab incident that led to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak is extremely unlikely.

"This conclusion is plausible in my opinion based on the first phase of the investigation," said the virologist, who also expressed concerns over misinformation on social media regarding the pandemic.

Muyembe said that science is being sidelined by politics amid global anti-pandemic efforts.

Some Western scientists, who have been trying to set the record straight about the pandemic, have suffered bashing and even "moral pressure," he said.

Research into the virus' origins is a "purely scientific" issue, the study of which "takes a long time," Muyembe said.

"Let us wait till scientists determine the origin of this virus that caused the most terrible health and socio-economic crisis in the 21st century," said the veteran virologist, also co-discoverer of the Ebola virus in 1976.

Noting the fact that the third wave of COVID-19 is far from over in Africa, Muyembe called on the international community to build people's trust in vaccines and ensure equal access to vaccinations.

Speaking of the health cooperation between the DRC and China, he stressed that the fruits of this cooperation are "appreciated" by the Congolese people.

"China has always been on the DRC's side in fighting Ebola and other epidemics. China's support in building hospitals here is highly appreciated by the Congolese people. We now see more and more Congolese doctors trained in China," he said.

Latest data from the Chinese government showed that China has done its best to provide over 700 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 100 countries across the world, helping save lives and fight the pandemic.