Friday, March 27, 2020 @ 8:26 am EDT

Discussion posted by: Arye ben-Shaoul

Smuggled pangolins have been found to carry viruses closely related to the one sweeping the world. Scientists say the sale of the animals in wildlife markets should be strictly prohibited to minimise the risk of future outbreaks. Pangolins are the most-commonly illegally trafficked mammal, used both as food and in traditional medicine. In research published in the journal Nature, researchers say handling these animals requires “caution”. And they say further surveillance of wild pangolins is needed to understand their role in the risk of future transmission to humans.

Coronavirus: Pangolins found to carry related strains