Coronavirus: WHO calls for halt to sale of live wild mammals in food markets to limit disease risk
- Attempt to curb future virus spread between wild and farmed animals and humans by urging rules and oversight of markets
- Wildlife activist says the advice acknowledges much of the world’s population relies on wild animals for dietary protein
“Traditional markets, where live animals are held, slaughtered and dressed, pose a particular risk for pathogen transmission to workers and customers alike,” the global health body said, while recognising their central role in providing food and livelihoods for large populations around the world.
The WHO said more than 70 per cent of emerging infectious diseases in humans originated in animals, particularly wild animals.
“To mitigate this risk, an immediate emergency measure for regulatory authorities would be to introduce regulations to close these markets or those parts of the markets where live caught wild animals of mammalian species are kept or sold to reduce the potential for transmission of zoonotic pathogens,” the guidance said.
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It also asked for authorities to assess food markets to identify risks for zoonotic pathogen transmission and ensure that live caught wild animals were not illegally introduced to wildlife farms.