UPSC Articles
Pangolins be the source of novel coronavirus
Part of: GS Prelims –Environment and GS-III- Conservation
In news:
- Pangolins could be responsible for the spread of the virus to humans in China.
- The genome sequence of the coronavirus isolated from pangolins was 99 per cent identical with that separated from infected humans.
From Prelims Point of view:
Daily Current Affairs IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 10th February 2020
Pangolins:
- Pangolins are considered to be one of the most trafficked animals in the world and are classified as a critically endangered species
- People who sell pangolins can be imprisoned for a period of 10 years or morepoached every year due to their “medicinal value” and the consumption of their meat in countries such as China and Vietnam.
- It is believed that the novel coronavirus spread from the seafood market in Wuhan, where live animals are sold
- The SARS coronavirus, which was identified in 2003, is believed to have spread from bats to civet cats to human beings.
