Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market

The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market (Chinese: 武汉华南海鲜批发市场),[1][2] also known as the Huanan Seafood Market[3] (Huanan means 'South China'), was a live animal and seafood market in Jianghan District, Wuhan, Hubei, China. The market gained media attention after being identified as a possible point of origin of the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization was notified on 31 December 2019 about an outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan.[4] Of the initial 41 people hospitalized with pneumonia who were officially identified as having laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection by 2 January 2020, two-thirds were exposed to the market. The market was closed on 1 January 2020 for sanitary procedures and disinfection.[1][5][6] Thirty-three out of 585 environmental samples obtained from the market indicated evidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), according to the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.[7]

Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market
武汉华南海鲜批发市场
Outside the market in March 2020, after it was closed
LocationJianghan, Wuhan, Hubei, China
Coordinates30.6196°N 114.2576°E / 30.6196; 114.2576
Closing date1 January 2020
Number of tenants1,000+
Total retail floor area50,000 m2 (540,000 sq ft)
Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market
Simplified Chinese武汉华南海鲜批发市场
Traditional Chinese武漢華南海鮮批發市場
Literal meaningWuhan South China Seafood Wholesale Market

Facility and operations

The market occupied over 50,000 m2 (540,000 sq ft)[8] and had over 1,000 tenants.[9] It is reported to have been the largest seafood wholesale market in Central China,[8] with wild animals sold in its western zone.[10] The market was located in the newer part of the city, near shops and apartment blocks[11] and about 800 meters from Hankou railway station.[12]

In late 2019, the market passed city official inspections according to The Wall Street Journal.[7] However, Time reported it to have "unsanitary" conditions.[13] It had narrow lanes and stalls in close proximity, where livestock were kept alongside dead animals. According to Business Insider, it was common to see animals openly slaughtered and carcasses skinned in the market.[14] The New York Times reported that "sanitation was dismal with poor ventilation and garbage piled on wet floors."[11]

Items sold

With local demand present for the consumption of exotic animals, the market also offered exotic game (ye wei in Chinese) and other wild animals for sale,[15][16] a feature uncommon in most Chinese wet markets.[17][18][19][20] A price list posted by one vendor on the popular Chinese review site Dazhong Dianping listed 112 items including a number of wild animals.[3][8][21] The South China Morning Post reported on 29 January 2020 that the market had a section selling around "120 wildlife animals across 75 species."[22]

It was incorrectly reported that koalas were sold at the market. The price list included "树熊" (pinyin: shùxióng; lit.: 'tree bear'). This term is used for koalas in Chinese communities in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, but in China they are called "考拉" (read as "kaǒ lā").[21] At the Huanan market, 'tree bear' referred to large rodents.[21]

Main article: COVID-19 pandemic
Further information: Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wet market § COVID-19, and Wuhan Institute of Virology § Concerns as source

In December 2019, an epidemic of a pneumonia cluster occurred in Wuhan. By 2 January 2020, a new strain of coronavirus, later determined to be SARS-CoV-2, was confirmed in an initial 41 people hospitalized with the pneumonia, two-thirds of whom had direct exposure to the market.[1][5][23][24] As coronaviruses (like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV) mainly circulate among animals and with a link between the pneumonia outbreak and the market being established, it was suspected that the virus may have been passed from an animal to humans (zoonosis).[25][26]

Bats were initially suggested to be the source of the virus, although it remains unclear if bats were sold there.[27][28][29][30] Later studies hypothesized that pangolins may be the intermediate host of the virus originating from bats, analogous to the relationship between SARS-CoV and civets.[31][32] Phylogenetic analysis indicates that pangolins are a potential reservoir host rather than the intermediate host of SARS-CoV-2. While there is scientific consensus that bats are the ultimate source of coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 originated from a pangolin, jumped back to bats, and then jumped to humans, according to phylogenetic analysis. Therefore, a specific population of bats is more likely to be the intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2 than a pangolin, while an evolutionary ancestor to bats was the source for general coronaviruses.[33]

Despite the role that the market played in the pandemic, it is yet unclear whether the novel coronavirus outbreak started in the market.[34][35] The earliest date for first symptoms was reported on 1 December 2019 in a person who did not have any exposure to the market or to the remaining affected 40 people.[5][36][37] A paper from a large group of Chinese researchers from several institutions, published in The Lancet, offered details about the first 41 hospitalised patients who had confirmed infections with SARS-CoV-2.[37] Their data showed 13 of the initial 41 people found with the novel coronavirus had no link with the market, a significant figure according to infectious diseases specialist Daniel Lucey.[5][36][37] In a later publication, The Lancet reported that of the first 99 people confirmed with COVID-19 in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital between 1 and 20 January 2020, 49 had a history of exposure to the market. The publication nevertheless did not opine on whether the market was the origin or just a key link in the epidemic.[38]

In an attempt to discover the origin of SARS-CoV-2, samples from the market's animals were also taken between 1 and 12 January 2020.[10] In late January 2020, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the virus was found in 33 out of 585 of environmental samples taken,[7][39][40] 31 of which came from the area of the market where wildlife was particularly found. This was another indication of the role that the market played, but its identification as the origin of the epidemic has been disputed.[34][35][41] A review published on 24 January 2020, noted that the market was not associated with any COVID-19 cases outside of China.[42]

In May 2020, George Gao, the director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said animal samples collected from the seafood market had tested negative for the virus, indicating that the market was the site of an early superspreading event, but it was not the site of the initial outbreak.[43]

Responses

Closure

On 1 January 2020, in response to the initial outbreak of the pneumonia cluster, the health authorities closed the market to conduct investigations, clean and disinfect the location.[1][26] At the time, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that it was being closed for renovations.[11]

However, it was reported on 14 April 2020 that despite seemingly being closed permanently the market had in fact reopened, as well as several other wet markets in China.[44]

A "wet market" is a marketplace selling fresh meat, fish, produce, and other perishable goods as distinguished from "dry markets" that sell durable goods such as fabric and electronics.[45]

Ban on wild animal trade

Chinese environmentalists, researchers and state media have called for stricter regulation of exotic animal trade in wet markets.[46] Several Chinese scientists have called for bans on wildlife trade since 2003.[22][47][48]

On 22 January 2020, a ban on the sale of all wild animal products in Wuhan was announced.[49] In May 2020 the city banned eating wild animals and limited hunting and breeding of wild animals.[50]

On 24 February 2020, the Chinese government announced that the trade and consumption of wild animals would be banned throughout China,[51][52] amidst mounting domestic criticism of the industry.[53][54][55][56] The ban though does not cover the consumption of wild animal products in traditional Chinese medicine, according to the New York Times.[57]

See also

References
  1. Hui, David S.; I Azhar, Esam; Madani, Tariq A.; Ntoumi, Francine; Kock, Richard; Dar, Osman; Ippolito, Giuseppe; Mchugh, Timothy D.; Memish, Ziad A.; Drosten, Christian; Zumla, Alimuddin; Petersen, Eskild (2020). "The continuing 2019-nCoV epidemic threat of novel coronaviruses to global health – The latest 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China". International Journal of Infectious Diseases. Elsevier BV. 91: 264–266. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.01.009. ISSN 1201-9712. PMC 7128332. PMID 31953166.
  2. "Wuhan pneumonia: how the search for the source of the mystery illness unfolded". South China Morning Post. 22 January 2020. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  3. "On the menu at Wuhan virus market: Rats and live wolf pups". CNA. 22 January 2020. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  4. Zhu, Na; Zhang, Dingyu; Wang, Wenling; Li, Xingwang; Yang, Bo; Song, Jingdong; Zhao, Xiang; Huang, Baoying; Shi, Weifeng; Lu, Roujian; Niu, Peihua (24 January 2020). "A Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019". New England Journal of Medicine. 382 (8): 727–733. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2001017. ISSN 0028-4793. PMC 7092803. PMID 31978945.
  5. Huang, Chaolin; Wang, Yeming; Li, Xingwang; Ren, Lili; Zhao, Jianping; Hu, Yi; Zhang, Li; Fan, Guohui; Xu, Jiuyang; Gu, Xiaoying; Cheng, Zhenshun (24 January 2020). "Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China". The Lancet. 0 (10223): 497–506. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30183-5. ISSN 0140-6736. PMC 7159299. PMID 31986264. Archived from the original on 31 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  6. "Overview of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) – Summary of relevant conditions". BMJ Best Practice. January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  7. Page, Jeremy (27 January 2020). "Virus Sparks Soul-Searching Over China's Wild Animal Trade". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  8. Xie, Echo; Cai, Jane; Rui, Guo (22 January 2020). "Why wild animals are a key ingredient in China's coronavirus outbreak". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  9. "Archived copy" 华南海鲜批发市场西区有十几家贩卖野味的商户. cb.com.cn (in Chinese). 22 January 2020. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. Schnirring, Lisa (27 January 2020). "Experts: nCoV spread in China's cities could trigger global epidemic". CIDRAP. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  11. Buckley, Chris; Myers, Steven Lee (1 February 2020). "As New Coronavirus Spread, China's Old Habits Delayed Fight". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  12. Xu Lin (12 February 2020). "Scientists busy with research into source of the outbreak". China Daily Global. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  13. "Here's What It's Like in Wuhan, the City at the Center of Coronavirus". Time. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  14. Woodward, Aylin (24 January 2020). "The outbreaks of both the Wuhan coronavirus and SARS started in Chinese wet markets. Photos show what the markets looked like". Business Insider. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  15. Xie, Echo; Cai, Jane; Rui, Guo (22 January 2020). "Why wild animals are a key ingredient in China's coronavirus outbreak". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  16. Campbell, Charlie (24 January 2020). "The West Blames the Wuhan Coronavirus on China's Love of Eating Wild Animals. The Truth Is More Complex". Time. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  17. Fickling, David (3 April 2020). "China Is Reopening Its Wet Markets. That's Good". Bloomberg.
  18. Bossons, Matthew (25 February 2020). "No, You Won't Find "Wild Animals" in Most of China's Wet Markets". RADII. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  19. "Commentary: No, China's fresh food markets did not cause coronavirus". Los Angeles Times. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  20. Lynteris, Christos; Fearnley, Lyle. "Why shutting down Chinese 'wet markets' could be a terrible mistake". The Conversation. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  21. Zheng, Zhangxin; Thiagarajan, Sumita (24 January 2020). "Outrageous menu from Wuhan's market shows live deer, peacocks, wolf pups & over 100 wild animals on sale". Mothership. Singapore. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  22. Li, Peter J. (29 January 2020). "First Sars, now the Wuhan coronavirus. Here's why China should ban its wildlife trade forever". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  23. Keevil, William; Lang, Trudie; Hunter, Paul; Solomon, Tom (24 January 2020). "Expert reaction to first clinical data from initial cases of new coronavirus in China". Science Media Centre. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  24. "New-type coronavirus causes pneumonia in Wuhan: expert". xinhuanet.com 2020. 9 January 2020. Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  25. "Transmission of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)". CDC. 23 January 2020. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  26. "Promed Post – ProMED-mail". ProMED-mail. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  27. January 2020, Rachael Rettner-Senior Writer 29. "New coronavirus may have started in bats. But how did it hop to humans?". Live Science. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  28. Schnirring, Lisa (8 January 2020). "Virologists weigh in on novel coronavirus in China's outbreak". CIDRAP. Archived from the original on 8 January 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  29. Camero, Katie (6 February 2020). "Scientists Link China Coronavirus to Intersection of Humans and Wildlife". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 28 March 2020. Some researchers said bats weren't being sold at the Huanan market in Wuhan...The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization said they couldn't confirm if bats were present at the market.
  30. "Bats and the novel coronavirus". The Hindu. 3 February 2020.
  31. Xiao K, Zhai J, Feng Y (February 2020). "Isolation and Characterization of 2019-nCoV-like Coronavirus from Malayan Pangolins". bioRxiv. doi:10.1101/2020.02.17.951335.
  32. Wong MC, Cregeen S, Ajami NJ, Petrosino JF (February 2020). "Evidence of recombination in coronaviruses implicating pangolin origins of nCoV-2019". bioRxiv. doi:10.1101/2020.02.07.939207.
  33. "Probable Pangolin Origin of SARS-CoV-2 Associated with the COVID-19 Outbreak".
  34. Lu, Donna, "The hunt for patient zero: Where did the coronavirus outbreak start?", New Scientist, retrieved 9 April 2020
  35. "Experts know the new coronavirus is not a bioweapon. They disagree on whether it could have leaked from a research lab", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 30 March 2020, retrieved 9 April 2020
  36. Barton, Antigone (25 January 2020). "UPDATE Wuhan coronavirus – 2019-nCoV Q&A #6: An evidence-based hypothesis". Science Speaks: Global ID News. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  37. Cohen, Jon; 2020 (26 January 2020). "Wuhan seafood market may not be source of novel virus spreading globally". Science | AAAS. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  38. Chen, Nanshan; Zhou, Min; Dong, Xuan; Qu, Jieming; Gong, Fengyun; Han, Yang; Qiu, Yang; Wang, Jingli; Liu, Ying; Wei, Yuan; Xia, Jia'an (30 January 2020). "Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 99 cases of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia in Wuhan, China: a descriptive study". The Lancet. 0 (10223): 507–513. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30211-7. ISSN 0140-6736. PMC 7135076. PMID 32007143.
  39. Guo, Haitao; Luo, Guangxiang "George"; Gao, Shou-Jiang (13 February 2020). "Snakes could be the original source of the new coronavirus outbreak in China". The Conversation. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  40. Liu, Shan-Lu; Saif, Linda (22 January 2020). "Emerging Viruses without Borders: The Wuhan Coronavirus". Viruses. 12 (2): 130. doi:10.3390/v12020130. PMC 7077218. PMID 31979013.
  41. Readfearn, Graham (9 April 2020). "How did coronavirus start and where did it come from? Was it really Wuhan's animal market?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  42. Gralinski, Lisa E.; Menachery, Vineet D. (2020). "Return of the Coronavirus: 2019-nCoV". Viruses. 12 (2): 135. doi:10.3390/v12020135. PMC 7077245. PMID 31991541.
  43. Areddy, James T. (26 May 2020). "China Rules Out Animal Market and Lab as Coronavirus Origin". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  44. "Covid 19 coronavirus: Doctor, Scott Morrison slams WHO as Chinese wet markets reopen". 14 April 2020 – via www.nzherald.co.nz.
  45. "What is a wet market?". the Guardian. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  46. "Wuhan Is Returning to Life. So Are Its Disputed Wet Markets". Bloomberg Australia-NZ. 8 April 2020.
  47. "China has been transparent about Wuhan outbreak, virus expert says". South China Morning Post. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  48. Cheng, Vincent C. C.; Lau, Susanna K. P.; Woo, Patrick C. Y.; Yuen, Kwok Yung (October 2007). "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus as an Agent of Emerging and Reemerging Infection". Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 20 (4): 660–694. doi:10.1128/CMR.00023-07. ISSN 0893-8512. PMC 2176051. PMID 17934078.
  49. "Coronavirus: China advises against travel to Wuhan as deaths surge". BBC. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  50. "Wuhan bans eating wild animals as coronavirus drives a crackdown in China". Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  51. "China bans trade, consumption of wild animals due to coronavirus". Reuters. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  52. Xie, Echo (24 February 2020). "China bans trade, eating of wild animals in battle against coronavirus". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  53. "A sea change in China's attitude towards wildlife exploitation may just save the planet". Daily Maverick. 2 March 2020. In January an online poll by the Peking University Centre for Nature Society found that 97% of some 100,000 participants were against eating wild animals. Nearly 80% rejected using wildlife products.
  54. Ellyatt, Holly (12 February 2020). "China's wild animal trade changed for good by coronavirus?". CNBC. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  55. "China Focus: Stay away from wild animals, China takes sustained action against illegal wildlife trade". Xinhua News Agency. n.d. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  56. "EIA supports calls in China to extend temporary wildlife trade ban and make it permanent - EIA". eia-international.org. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  57. Gorman, James (27 February 2020). "China's Ban on Wildlife Trade a Big Step, but Has Loopholes, Conservationists Say". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.