Share COVID-19 Origins Intelligence After Withdrawal, WHO Tells US
The World Health Organisation has called on the United States to release any intelligence it possesses regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, even after Washington formally exited the UN health agency.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, WHO Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organisation had previously written to senior US officials requesting the sharing of any intelligence related to how the SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged.
He disclosed that no such information had been provided.
According to him, some countries, particularly the United States, have publicly indicated that they hold intelligence concerning the origins of the virus. He said the WHO remains open to reviewing any credible evidence, stressing that determining how the pandemic began is essential to preventing future global health crises.
COVID-19, first detected in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, went on to claim an estimated 20 million lives globally, according to WHO figures.
The pandemic also disrupted economies, overwhelmed health systems and significantly altered daily life worldwide.
On January 22, 2025, the one year notice of withdrawal issued by US President Donald Trump expired. Trump had signed the withdrawal notice on his first day back in office in January 2025, citing what he described as the WHO’s mishandling of the pandemic.
His administration has since supported the theory that the virus may have leaked from a virology laboratory in Wuhan.
Despite these claims, the WHO maintains that it has not received any classified or additional intelligence from Washington beyond information already available in the public domain.
Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on epidemic and pandemic threats, said the agency continues to engage governments that have claimed to possess intelligence reports, including the United States. She noted that no confidential reports have been shared with the organisation to date.
The WHO has repeatedly stated that its investigations into the origins of COVID-19 remain inconclusive, with all major hypotheses still under consideration pending further evidence.
As the US withdrawal took effect, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accused the WHO of obstructing the timely and accurate sharing of critical information during the pandemic. They also criticised the agency’s handling of US contributions.
In response, the WHO rejected those allegations, insisting that the reverse was the case.
Although the WHO constitution does not explicitly provide a withdrawal mechanism, the United States reserved the right to exit the organisation upon joining in 1948, subject to giving one year’s notice and fulfilling its financial obligations.
According to WHO data, while the withdrawal notice period has elapsed, the United States has yet to settle its assessed contributions for 2024 and 2025, with outstanding dues amounting to approximately 260 million dollars.
