In a move that signals a deepening rift in global health diplomacy, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a formal plea on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. The agency is calling on the United States to share classified intelligence regarding the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. This request comes just weeks after the U.S. officially finalized its departure from the United Nations health agency.
Understanding how the SARS-CoV-2 virus first emerged in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 remains a critical global priority. The WHO maintains that this knowledge is the primary weapon to prevent future pandemics. To date, the global catastrophe has claimed an estimated 20 million lives, decimated economies, and permanently altered public health systems.
The U.S. Withdrawal and the Intelligence Vacuum
The geopolitical landscape of global health shifted dramatically in January 2025. Upon returning to the White House, President Donald Trump initiated a one-year withdrawal notice from the WHO. The administration cited the agency’s “mishandling” of the initial outbreak and an alleged pro-China bias as the primary reasons for the exit.
A cornerstone of the current U.S. administration’s platform is the “lab leak” theory. This hypothesis suggests the virus escaped from a high-security virology facility in Wuhan rather than emerging through natural zoonotic spillover. While U.S. officials have publicly claimed to possess “compelling intelligence” supporting this, the WHO revealed on Wednesday that no such data was handed over before the U.S. walked out.
A Formal Request for Transparency
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that the agency reached out to high-ranking U.S. officials several months ago. The goal was to secure any data that could bring the years-long investigation to a close.
“We haven’t received any information,” Tedros lamented during the press conference. “We hope they will share, because we haven’t still concluded the Covid origins. Knowing what happened could help us to prevent the next pandemic.”
Rising Tensions: Obstruction vs. Collaboration
The relationship between Geneva and Washington has hit a historic low. As the U.S. withdrawal notice expired on January 22, 2026, the rhetoric from Washington intensified. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued joint statements accusing the WHO of gross negligence.
They claimed the organization “obstructed the timely sharing of critical information” that could have saved American lives. They further alleged that the WHO “trashed” the contributions made by the United States over decades. The WHO has flatly rejected these accusations. Agency officials stated that “the reverse is true,” highlighting that the WHO was the only global body facilitating real-time data exchange during the peak of the crisis.
The $260 Million Financial Standoff
The legalities of the U.S. exit are currently mired in a financial dispute. While the U.S. reserved the right to withdraw from the WHO in a 1948 agreement, that right was contingent on two specific factors:
- A full one-year notice period (which has now concluded).
- Meeting all financial obligations for the final fiscal year.
According to data published by the WHO on Wednesday, Washington has yet to settle its dues for 2024 and 2025. The United States currently owes an estimated $260 million to the organization. Legal experts suggest that until this debt is cleared, the U.S. may still technically be held to certain organizational obligations under international law.
The Quest for Answers: All Hypotheses Remain “On the Table”
Despite the political noise, the scientific investigation continues. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s chief of epidemic and pandemic threat management, reiterated that the agency is not discounting any possibility.
“We continue to follow up with all governments that have said they have intelligence reports, the U.S. included,” Van Kerkhove noted. She clarified that the WHO currently only has access to information in the public domain. Without the specific, classified intelligence reports mentioned by U.S. officials, the global investigation remains at a standstill.
The Scientific Stakes of the Origin Hunt
Scientists argue that pinpointing the origin is not about casting blame but about identifying “spillover” risks. If the virus was zoonotic, the world needs to regulate wildlife markets and habitat encroachment. If it was a lab incident, global biosafety protocols for high-containment laboratories must be radically overhauled.
Conclusion: A Call for Global Solidarity
The WHO’s message on Wednesday was clear: the world cannot afford to play politics with pandemic intelligence. As new viral threats emerge, the lack of cooperation between the world’s leading scientific power and the global health coordinator creates a dangerous vulnerability.
Director-General Tedros concluded the briefing with a plea for any government holding private data to come forward. “Knowing what happened is a scientific necessity, not a political one,” he stated. For the families of the 20 million victims, and for the safety of future generations, the quest for the truth remains an unfinished chapter of the Covid-19 era.
ALSO READ: SON Unleashes Global Weapon to Kill Financial Fraud
