China reopens animal markets, the suspected source of Coronavirus

While scientists believe that the first person who was infected of Coronavirus had contracted the pathogen from China’s “wet markets” in December 2019, they have been reopened and sale of bats, pangolins and dogs for human consumption has resumed in the country. As life turns to normalcy in Chinese central city, Wuhan, where the COVID-19 had originated and, has now spread to at least 199 countries. The move by Chinese authorities has raised concerns worldwide as the rest of them are still battling with the deadly virus.

Various reports had suggested that the 55-year-old man who first contracted the deadly COVID-19 was in one of these markets selling exotic animals. An international media outlet quoted its correspondent saying that “the markets have gone back to operating” in a similar way it was functioning before the Coronavirus pandemic rocked the world. However, according to reports, these markets are being monitored by guards who are ensuring that no one is able to take photographs of the floors soaked with blood and slaughtering of other animals, including dogs and rabbits.

Huanan seafood Market in China’s Wuhan is believed to be the epicentre of the outbreak which has now been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. It has now infected over 804,073 people worldwide and caused 39,074 deaths. In early January, WHO had said in a statement that evidence by researchers is “highly suggestive” that the outbreak is related to an individual’s exposure to these seafood markets. 

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Higher number of deaths suggested in Wuhan

While markets have been reopened, doubts still surround the reported fatalities by the Chinese authorities. It has been more than seven days since a single case of deadly Coronavirus was reported in China’s Wuhan city and life is slowly coming back to normalcy. Wuhan residents are now suggesting that Chinese authorities did not report the true scale of casualties due to COVID-19 infections. Since the fatal pathogen originated in Wuhan in December 2019, the Chinese government has reported 3,305 deaths and at least 81,518 confirmed cases. 

However, according to international media reports, when the families of those who succumbed to the COVID-19 disease in Wuhan were allowed to pick up urns at eight local funeral homes since last week, the long lines suggested that thousands of urns are being ferried in.

According to international media reports, outside one funeral home in the central Chinese city, trucks had shipped over 2,500 urns on two consecutive days in the last week. Moreover, another picture published by Caixin showed at least 3,500 urns being stacked on the ground inside an establishment. It still remains unclear how many urns had been filled.

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(With agency inputs)

Image source: AP