Tedros reponding in part to this 52 min ago US and 13 other nations express "shared concerns" about WHO study on Covid-19 origins From CNN's Jennifer Hansler The governments of the United States, Australia, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom jointly expressed concern about the World Health Organization (WHO) study into the origins of Covid-19 in China and called for independent and fullytransparent evaluations with access to all relevant data in the future.> "We join in expressing shared concerns regarding the recent WHO-convened study in China, while at the same time reinforcing the importance of working together toward the development and use of a swift, effective,transparent, science-based, and independent process for international evaluations of such outbreaks of unknown origin in the future," Tuesday's joint statement said. "The mission of the WHO is critical to advancing global health and health security, and we fully support its experts and staff and recognize their tireless work to bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, including understanding how the pandemic started and spread. With such an important mandate, it is equally essential that we voice our shared concerns that the international expert study on the source of the SARS-CoV-2 virus was significantly delayed andlacked access to complete, original data and samples," the statement continued."We note the findings and recommendations, including the need for further studies of animals to find the means ofintroduction into humans, and urge momentum for expert-driven phase 2 studies," the statement said. "Going forward, there must now be a renewed commitment by WHO and all Member States to access, transparency, and timeliness."The statement noted that in a "serious outbreak of an unknown pathogen with pandemic potential, a rapid, independent, expert-led, and unimpeded evaluation of the origins is critical to better prepare." The statement from the governments underscored "the need for a robust, comprehensive, and expert-led mechanism for expeditiously investigating outbreaks of unknown origin that is conducted with full and open collaboration among all stakeholders and in accordance with the principles of transparency, respect for privacy, and scientific and research integrity."