China has ordered a temporary ban on wildlife trading as the country is currently dealing with a deadly virus that originated from Wuhan City.
The Wuhan coronavirus was believed to have come from a market that sold animals as food.
“Raising, transporting or selling all wild animal species is forbidden from the date of the announcement until the national epidemic situation is over”, a government order said from the Ministry of Agriculture, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
56 people died from the Wuhan coronavirus with at least 2,000 people infected.
Animal welfare groups have criticized China for tolerating exotic animal trade for food or ingredient in traditional medicines.
Health experts warned that this practice poses a high risk of getting deadly animal-borne viruses that could jump to humans.
In 2003, the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus, which killed hundreds of people in Asia, has been linked to wild animals from bats which reached humans through civets.
Civets were among those species being sold in the wild animal market in Wuhan City.
Rats, snakes, giant salamanders, and even live wolf pups were also being sold in the market.
The government ban states that all businesses are prohibited from trading in wild animals in any form.
