NEW YORK - The second phase of investigation into the origins of COVID-19 planned by the World Health Organization (WHO) is seen as a potential campaign move by its current Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is running for a second five-year term, according to an article published in the US newspaper Politico.

Many WHO member states in Geneva were surprised by Tedros' approach to further probing whether the virus leaked from a lab, said two diplomats who asked to remain anonymous, the article said.

The diplomats see this as a potential campaign move by Tedros to align with the United States and the West for their support following criticism that the WHO was soft on China when the pandemic started, it said.

"Maybe Tedros has just done his calculations and realizes that China will not be able to block his reelection," said the second Geneva-based diplomat, according to the article.

The reelection of the director general of the WHO will take place next May.