COVID-19: WHO urges China to close ‘dangerous’ wet market as stalls in Wuhan begin to reopen

China to close ‘dangerous’ wet market as stalls in Wuhan begin to reopen
'75 per cent of emerging infections come from the animal kingdom... It’s partly the markets, but it’s also other places where humans and animals are in close contact,' says Dr David Nabarro

Kate Ng
The World Health Organisation is urging countries across the world to close “dangerous” wet markets amid warnings about the risks posed by environments where humans are in close contact with animals.

Wet markets in Wuhan, the city where the coronavirus outbreak first emerged, have begun to reopen following the lifting of lockdown restrictions. This move comes despite the virus being linked to the city’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: WHO urges China to close ‘dangerous’ wet market as stalls in Wuhan begin to reopen

But WHO, as well as other public health organisations and campaigners, have said the markets pose a “real danger” as pathogens can spread easily and quickly from animals to humans.



Dr David Nabarro, a WHO special envoy on Covid-19 and special representative of the United Nations secretary general for food security and nutrition, said the world health body “pleads with governments and just about everybody” to be respectful of how viruses from the animal kingdom are rife.


Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s programme, Dr Nabarro said while WHO is not able to tell governments what to do, their advice is to close wet markets.