To reduce the public health risks associated with the sale of live wild animals in traditional markets, a group of international organizations is publishing a series of measures that governments should urgently consider adopting to avoid the emergence of new diseases.
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The World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (Goose) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) call on competent national authorities to suspend trade in wild caught live animals mammal species, for food or breeding, and to close sections of food markets selling them.
Although this document focuses on the risk of disease emergence in traditional food markets where live animals are sold, it is also relevant for other uses of wild animals. All these uses require an approach characterized by the conservation of biodiversity, animal welfare, national and international regulations concerning threatened and endangered species.
Traditional food markets regulated by competent local authorities and operating to high standards of hygiene and sanitation are safe for workers and customers. Significant problems can arise when these spaces are not regulated and allow, for example, on-site logging. Keeping live animals in cages stacked on top of each other, where faeces, other wastes and body fluids mix, greatly increases the risk of transmission of viruses of animal origin to other animals and to animals. humans.
Most of the emerging infectious diseases, such as Lassa fever, Marburg hemorrhagic fever, have faunal origins. Within the coronavirus family, the respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers), detected in 2012, were linked to zoonotic viruses. Wild animals are the cause of more than 70% of diseases developed by humans.
Guarantee public health
In order to reduce the public health risks associated with the sale of live wild animals in traditional markets, WHO, Goose and UNEP recommend several actions that governments should urgently consider adopting. The new regulations should include provisions to identify the source of animals in order to guarantee the origin, and to ensure that they are not illegally introduced to farms. Markets selling live animals should only be permitted provided the required food safety, hygiene and environmental standards are met. Importantly, there is no evidence to suggest that Covid-19 was transmitted through the consumption of cooked and hygienically handled wild meat.
Food inspection is an essential element of the national control system guaranteeing the food security of populations. To ensure this control, food and veterinary inspectors must be trained, qualified and not be in a situation of conflict of interest.
WHO, Goose and Pnue also call on the authorities to strengthen animal, domestic and wild animal health surveillance systems, particularly zoonotic pathogens. This will make it possible, in the event of a problem, to give the alert very early and to have all the elements necessary to prevent risks to humans and guarantee public health.
By Catherine Fiankan-Bokonga, Accredited Correspondent at the United Nations Office at Geneva (Switzerland)
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