Pompeo Calls On China To Shut Down Wet Markets Permanently, In Contrast To WHO’s Support Of Them Reopening
U.s. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cited concerns over the threat of zoonotic diseases, but WHO officials say the markets are an important source of affordable food for many. WHO did say, though, that safety regulations show play a crucial role in whether they can reopen.
Reuters:
Pompeo: U.S. Calls On China To Permanently Close Wildlife Wet Markets
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the United States has called on China to permanently close its wildlife wet markets, citing links between those markets and zoonotic diseases. The new coronavirus is believed to have emerged in a market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. It has spread around the world killing over 180,000 people and infecting over 2.6 million, Reuters calculations show. (4/23)
NPR:
U.S. Pressures China To Close Wet Markets Thought To Be Source Of COVID-19
Although some of the markets sell wild animals, the vast majority of them do not. Such markets are common not only in China, but throughout Asia and parts of the Middle East. "Given the strong link between illegal wildlife sold in wet markets and zoonotic diseases, the United States has called on the People's Republic of China to permanently close its wildlife wet markets and all markets that sell illegal wildlife. I call on all ASEAN governments to do the same," Pompeo said in the statement. (Neuman, 4/23)
