From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI: So far, Northeastern states have remained relatively safe from the dreaded novel coronavirus disease whose epicentre was in next-door China but wildlife meat eaten in both the regions might alter the scenario soon.
Several studies have shown that more or less, the same food habits of basically the same human chain with particular reference to wildlife meat could trigger an avalanche in the region which, so far, remained unaffected despite coronavirus’ worldwide spread.
The studies have indicated that germs of coronavirus originated from wildlife like bats, pangolins and snakes — all popular dishes in China and many Northeastern states like Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
At times, the germs pass through the food chain of snakes eating bats and humans eating snakes available even in street foods.
Pangolins, geckos and many other wild animals are also in the region and China as sources of food.
Only this month, in Meghalaya, three persons were arrested for eating a wild leopard cat and even putting the same on Facebook. With the end of winter season, the tradition of hunting has come to an end and so also the bush meat feast in North East.
Scientists opine that meat from these wild animals, having different types of germs, is not suitable and meant for human consumption. Human body is also not able to accept such “foreign” body parts unlike beef, pork, mutton and chicken. Human body has also become tuned to accept meat of such animals and birds as regular food unlike that of wild animals for centuries.
Experts with the World Health Organization (WHO) say there is a high likelihood that the coronavirus came from bats. It is widely believed that a wildlife market in Wuhan in China could have been the starting point for the outbreak.
A WWF study showed illegal wildlife trade is worth billions of rupees per year, which is the fourth largest illegal trade worldwide, after drugs. Chinese officials reveal that about 1.5 million markets and online operators nationwide have been inspected since the outbreak of coronavirus. In total, 3,700 have been shut down while around 16,000 breeding sites have been cordoned off.
Many studies revealed that bats host virus including coronavirus. If someone takes a bite of a piece of fruit covered in bat saliva or hunt and slaughter a local bat, he or she is exposing to the microbes sheltering in the bat’s tissues.
It happens by pangolin too. When humans catch or touch pangolin flesh, the deadly virus transmits to human in an easy way.
The outbreak of the virus has prompted calls to permanently ban the sale of wildlife but the Chinese government has made it clear that the ban would be temporary. Conservationists and environmentalists had been appealing to stop wildlife markets in China but have gone in vain.
Wildlife has been harbouring many kinds of viruses (fatal and non-fatal) for thousands of years without harming to host animals and plants. These viruses and microbes have been a crucial part of biodiversity as well as nature for thousands of years.
In fact, most of these microbes live harmlessly in these animals’ bodies. The virus’s animal origin is a critical mystery to solve.
Wildlife poaching and killing do take place in North East and animals as well and their parts have been supplied to Chinese markets for decades.
Habitat destruction threatens vast numbers of wild species with extinction, including the medicinal plants and animals the people have historically depended upon for pharmacopoeia.
Most of the samples taken from the Wuhan market that tested positive for the coronavirus were from the area where wildlife booths were concentrated. It is said that more than 70 per cent of emerging infections in humans are estimated to have come from animals, particularly wild animals.
Dormant deadly viruses could be transmitted to humans through wildlife like bats, pangolins, geckos and others as these animals have been largely traded.
Markets selling live animals are considered a potential source of diseases that are new to humans.
The wildlife products industry is a major part of the Chinese economy and has been blamed for driving several species to the brink of extinction.
China’s demand for wildlife products, which find uses in traditional medicine, or as exotic foods, is driving a global trade in endangered species.
Rampant killing of wildlife continues in North East too and China remains the major consumer.
From rhino horn to geckos, pangolins, and skin-paws- bones of tiger and wild cats have been regularly smuggled to the markets in South Asia and China.
Another reason for spreading of the virus is the utterly unhygienic conditions of the wildlife animal market in North East and China. Live animals are staked in iron cages one atop the other in small, dingy places.
The animals are butchered and left-out body parts are spread all over such places creating the atmosphere more unhygienic. Such greasy places give rise to various terms of germs including that of coronavirus, studies said.