PARIS - Diseases such as COVID-19 sweeping the globe could become more common as human activity destroys habitats and forces disease-carrying wild animals into ever-closer proximity with us, a major s
tudy showed on Wednesday.
US-based researchers looked at more than 140 viruses known to have been transmitted from animals to humans, and cross-referenced them with the IUCN's Red List of endangered species. "Our data highlight how exploitation of wildlife and destruction of natural habitat in particular, underlie disease spillover events, putting us at risk for emerging infectious diseases," said Christine Johnson, from the University of California's School of Veterinary Medicine, lead author of the research.
Deforestation, in particular, is placing increasing pressure on wild mammals, which struggle to adapt to dwindling habitats. "This also increases the frequency and intensity of contact between humans and wildlife –- creating the perfect conditions for virus spillover."Scientists are still trying to pin down the species that passed COVID-19 to humans -- suspects include bats and pangolins, both considered delicacies in China, where the outbreak emerged.
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