YEREVAN, MAY 18, ARMENPRESS. Over 110 countries have backed Australia’s call for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, Foreign Minister Marise Payne said, TASS reports citing The Australian.

“There is positive support for an independent review into the pandemic to help the world learn the lessons necessary to protect global health”, she said, as quoted by The Australian. “This is about collaborating to equip the international community to better prevent or counter the next pandemic and keep our citizens safe”, Payne pointed out.

The countries that voiced support for Australia’s initiative initially included Russia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and all members of the European Union. Several African nations joined them later, bringing the total number to 116.

In late December 2019, Chinese authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about an outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, central China. WHO declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a global pandemic and named the virus COVID-19. 

According to the data of the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in more than 212 countries and territories.