China | The origins of covid-19

China has not done enough to halt the wildlife trade

That is true whether or not covid-19 made the jump from wild animals

International animal protection organisation Animal Equality has launched a worldwide campaign and petition calling on the United Nations to immediately close wet markets across the globe. The so-called wet markets - which get their name in part from the blood, guts, scales and water that soak the stalls’ floors as meat is freshly killed for customers - have been blamed for the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, in China. They have now released these images, which were captured by Animal Equality at wet markets in China, Vietnam and India from 2013 onwards in a bid to show the conditions there. They say they show animals such as deer, raccoons, crocodiles, cats and dogs living in filthy conditions, suffering from dehydration, starvation and disease. Abigail Penny, Executive Director of Animal Equality UK said: “Wet markets are filthy, nightmarish places. The overwhelming fear that these poor animals suffer is unimaginable. Time and time again wet markets have been the source of dangerous viruses – they are a major threat to human health, there’s no doubt about it.” She added: “It’s not enough to close them temporarily, wet markets need to go once and for all. We simply cannot risk another disease outbreak. That’s why we’re urging the public to join our campaign today, calling on the United Nations to act now and ban wet markets globally.” The group is calling on supporters to sign their petition in support of the ban here - animalequality.org.uk/act/ban-wet-markets Editorial use only Mandatory credit - Animal Equality UK / MEGA. 02 Apr 2020 Pictured: A wet market in Wuhan - shot in 2013. Photo credit: Courtesy of Animal Equality/MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 — Image: MEGA

Mar 23rd 2023|BEIJING

ON MARCH 20th a team of scientists from around the world provided the latest twist in the debate over the origins of covid-19. A working paper they published online confirms, using genetic evidence, that animals such as dogs, weasels, foxes and hedgehogs were present at the seafood market in Wuhan whose customers and stallholders were among the first people in China to fall ill. In some ways that is unsurprising—yet for a long time China’s government denied that such wildlife markets even existed. It was not until 2021 that a paper by Chinese scientists reported they had seen animals for sale there.

This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Furry animals, deadly virus”