As you all know, the deadly coronavirus pandemic took an origin from the consumption of bats. A recent study has confirmed that the coronavirus infection has a well-established link with wildlife supply chains. The expansion and growth of wet markets across the globe and the increase in wildlife supply chains from local markets to big tenders have played a role in the spread of the coronavirus infection.
According to the study, people who consume meats and other products from such wildlife markets will be at a greater risk of developing coronavirus infection. The reason behind this phenomenon is because meats from such wet markets and wildlife supply chains harbor coronavirus. Once this becomes a part of the human food chain, the coronavirus can gradually spread among humans too.
The research study has been published in PLOS ONE Journal and it explains to the world that the coronavirus infection from some specific bat species, actually took its origin from the wildlife markets of Vietnam in 2013-2014. A large number of bats and other rodents in such wildlife supply chains and wet markets were infected with the coronavirus. Therefore, it’s clear that the consumption of meats from such markets led to the spread of the deadly infection.
To understand how the coronavirus spreads from such wildlife markets, the researchers analyzed the prevalence of the virus in certain species. They then took the base mode of Vietnam from 2013-2014 and analyzed the spread of the virus. The results showed that 34% of the rodents suitable for human consumption and 74% of the bats living around human settlements were infected with the coronavirus.
Rats and bats weren’t the only ones infected with the coronavirus. Other wildlife species such as farm rats, Malayan porcupines, Bamboo rats, etc. are also prone to the infection. According to the researchers, better surveillance of the wildlife farm markets and wet markets of the world can help curb the coronavirus infection. If we don’t continue to regulate these markets in the future, then many such infections can wreak havoc on the world.