China played down the World Health Organization’s (WHO) concern about a delay in authorisation for a visit by a team of experts looking into the origins of the novel coronavirus, saying arrangements were being worked out, Reuters reports.

The head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Tuesday he was “very disappointed” that China had not authorised the entry of the team for the investigation, which he said was a WHO priority. Much remains unknown about Covid-19's origins and China has been sensitive about any suggestion it could have done more in the early stages of the pandemic to stop it.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, told a regular news briefing in Beijing that the problem was “not just about visas” for the team. Asked about reports that the dates had been agreed upon, she said there had been a “misunderstanding” and the two sides were still in discussions over the timing and other arrangements and “remain in close communication”. “There’s no need to over-interpret this,” she said.

The 10-strong team of international experts had been due to set off in early January as part of a long-awaited mission to investigate early cases of the disease. The mission is due to be led by Peter Ben Embarek, the WHO’s top expert on animal diseases that cross the species barrier, who went to China on a preliminary mission last July.

China has been seeking to shape the narrative about when and where the pandemic began, with senior diplomat Wang Yi saying “more and more studies” showed that it emerged in multiple regions. WHO emergencies chief Mike Ryan has previously called this “highly speculative”.