Finding Source of the Coronavirus
Summary: As the coronoavirus has been on the rise, this article addresses the issue of this disease affecting so many people in such a short amount of time, and more specifically talks about how many individuals are working together to find the animal(s) that this disease may have stemmed from in the first place. While it seems as if bats have been the animal to blame for the outbreak, it has been discovered that there is yet another creature that has contributed to the spreading of the disease; the pangolin. Not only is this mammal being linked to this disease in this article, but also wet markets in Chinese culture and how easily viruses move from one species to another, including among pangolins and other wild species, including bats.
Coronavirus: The race to find the source in wildlife
Response: Overall, with all of the horrid effects that have come with this outbreak, it is relieving that people are determined in finding the source of the problem. This not only will result in relocation of certain animals, but also developments of vaccines, based on the types of viruses found both within the wild animals and humans, while also finding similarities between them all. However, the only downside to finding the animals responsible for the spreading of the disease is the mass killing of the species that may follow. This is not a good solution as by killing these animals, it isn't necessarily curing anyone of the disease, and is rather destroying wildlife. The fact that this is not necessarily a new epidemic, as this same series of events has occurred with Ebola, HIV, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), leads me to believe that this disease can be controlled and prevented in the long run in the near future.
Coronavirus: The race to find the source in wildlife
Response: Overall, with all of the horrid effects that have come with this outbreak, it is relieving that people are determined in finding the source of the problem. This not only will result in relocation of certain animals, but also developments of vaccines, based on the types of viruses found both within the wild animals and humans, while also finding similarities between them all. However, the only downside to finding the animals responsible for the spreading of the disease is the mass killing of the species that may follow. This is not a good solution as by killing these animals, it isn't necessarily curing anyone of the disease, and is rather destroying wildlife. The fact that this is not necessarily a new epidemic, as this same series of events has occurred with Ebola, HIV, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), leads me to believe that this disease can be controlled and prevented in the long run in the near future.
Strangely enough, the pangolin is the most illegally trafficked mammal next to humans. They are used for medicinal purposes, food, and religious rituals throughout China, Vietnam, and parts of Africa. Scary secondary vector!
ReplyDeleteThis situation is another prime example of how humans tend to intensify their issues with their own immoral behavior. Without the exploitation of the species that are consistently trafficked would as many people have died from the corona virus?
ReplyDelete