GENEVA: The World Health Organization's mission in China laying the groundwork for an investigation into the animal origins of the coronavirus pandemic has concluded, the UN health agency said Monday.

"The WHO advance team that travelled to China has now concluded their mission to lay the groundwork for further joint efforts to identify the virus origins, the agency's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual press conference, adding: "Epidemiological studies will begin in Wuhan to identify the potential source of infection of the early cases."