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Scientists suggest that degraded habitats can incite and diversify disease as pathogens easily spread to livestock and humans.

Clay Banks image in Unsplash

Diseases transmitted from animals to humans are on the rise and worsen as wild habitats are destroyed by human activity. Scientists suggest that degraded habitats can incite and diversify disease, as pathogens easily spread to livestock and humans.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that an animal is the likely source of transmission of the 2019 coronavirus ( SARS-CoV-2 ), transmitter of COVID-19 , which has infected thousands of people around the world and puts pressure on the economy global.

According to WHO, bats are the most likely transmitters of SARS-CoV-2. However, it is also possible that the virus was transmitted to humans from another intermediate host, be it a domestic or wild animal.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted from animals to people. Previous studies have found that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has been transmitted from domestic cats to humans, while Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome has passed from dromedaries to humans.

“Therefore, as a general rule, the consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, fresh milk or raw animal organs must be handled with care to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked food”, reported the WHO.

The statement came just days before China took steps to curb the trade and consumption of wild animals.

“Human beings and nature are part of an interconnected system. Nature provides food, medicine, water, air and many other benefits that have allowed people to thrive,” said Doreen Robinson, head of Wildlife at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

“However, as with all systems, we need to understand how this one works so that we don't exaggerate and cause more and more negative consequences”, he added.

UNEP's “Frontiers 2016 on Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern” report shows that zoonoses threaten economic development, human and animal welfare, and ecosystem integrity.

In recent years, several emerging zoonotic diseases have made headlines around the world for causing or threatening to cause major pandemics, such as Ebola, avian influenza, Rift Valley fever, West Nile fever and Zika virus.

According to that report, over the past two decades, emerging diseases have had direct costs of more than $100 billion, and could jump to several trillion dollars if the outbreaks had become human pandemics.

To prevent the emergence of zoonoses, it is essential to address the multiple threats to ecosystems and wildlife, including the reduction and fragmentation of habitats, illegal trade, pollution, the proliferation of invasive species and, increasingly, changes climate.