WWF said the current emergence and spread of COVID-19, as well as similar outbreaks in recent history, have shown potential threats to human health posed by illegal wildlife trade and consumption

According to the organisation, the current emergence and spread of COVID-19, as well as SARS, MERS and other similar outbreaks in recent history, have shown potential threats to human health posed by illegal wildlife trade and consumption.

Damage caused by COVID-19 for each country, each region and the whole world has amounted to billions of USD and will affect economies for many years to come. Therefore, each nation needs to act more promptly to prevent risks of new outbreaks.

WWF Vietnam Director Van Ngoc Thinh said WWF offices in the Asia-Pacific has welcomed the decision to ban the consumption of wild animal meat and unregulated wildlife trade made by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China – the highest law-making body of that country.

They have also called on other East Asian nations to make similar decisions to protect people’s health and life, he said, noting that Southeast Asia is still known as a source and a transit point of wildlife products for China.

WWF offices in the Asia-Pacific has urged government agencies to be responsible for wildlife conservation and management and for public health in their countries, join hands to boost market monitoring and communications, and eradicate the trade and consumption of wild animal meat and wildlife products.

Thinh said Vietnam needs similar drastic actions, adding that people’s health, economic stability, national credit rating and social security must come first.

Vietnam vows to eliminate wildlife trade

Director of the Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Trinh Le Nguyen talks on Vietnam’s efforts to eliminate the wildlife trade  

Coronavirus: The race to find the source in wildlife

From animals to humans, how did the deadly coronavirus make the leap? We look at the scientific evidence.