On Tuesday, the World Health Organization announced to halt the sale of live wild animals in food markets.
According to the organization, animals are the source of more than 70% of all emerging infectious diseases in humans.
The news comes after a 120 report by the agency into the origins of COVID-19 found it probably spread to people through animals, and it probably started spreading among humans no more than a month or two before it was noticed in December 2019.
"Although this document focuses on the risk of disease emergence in traditional food markets where live animals are sold for food, it is also relevant for other utilizations of wild animals," the organization said. The agency said that all these wild animals' uses require an approach characterized by conservation of biodiversity, animal welfare, and national and international regulations regarding threatened and endangered species.
The report came in conjunction with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
