Coronavirus: China wildlife trade ban 'should be permanent'

Campaigners have urged China to apply a permanent ban on the wildlife trade following the coronavirus outbreak.

Markets selling live animals are considered a potential source of diseases that are new to humans.

There has been speculation just such a market in Wuhan could have been the starting point for the outbreak.

China put a temporary ban on the trade in wildlife as one measure to control the spread of coronavirus, but conservationists say it's not enough.

They argue that, in addition to protecting human health, a permanent ban would be a vital step in the effort to end the illegal trading of wildlife.

Campaigners say that China's demand for wildlife products, which find uses in traditional medicine, or as exotic foods, is driving a global trade in endangered species.

• Why are we catching more diseases from animals?

Major source of infection

More than 70% of emerging infections in humans are estimated to have come from animals, particularly wild animals.

Experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) say there's a high likelihood the new coronavirus came from bats. But it might have made the jump to a currently unknown animal group before humans could be infected.

The viruses behind Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) are also thought to have originated in bats. But they are thought to have circulated in civet cats and camels, respectively, before being transmitted to humans.

"We are coming into contact with species of wildlife and their habitats that we were not with before," Dr Ben Embarek, with the department of nutrition and food safety at the WHO told the BBC.

Ref:BBC.com