By Rosie McCall
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Eating and selling bat and pangolin meat has been banned by officials in Gabon. The decision was made over fears related to the global coronavirus pandemic, which is thought to stem from wild animal meat sold at a market in Wuhan, China.
"Gabon has signed a law to stop trade in bats and pangolins as a precaution," Lee White, Minister of Forests, Oceans, Environment and Climate Change, Gabonese Republic, tweeted last Friday.
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According to AFP, officials at the water and forest ministry cited scientific research showing Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was a combination of two viruses, one similar to bats and another similar to pangolins. "A similar decision was taken by the authorities when our country was affected by the Ebola virus—a ban on eating primates," White told the AFP. Like COVID-19, the virus that causes Ebola is zoonotic, meaning it can be transferred from animals to humans. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), African fruit bats are thought to be carriers of Ebola and may even be the source of the disease.
There is some evidence suggesting the Sars-CoV-2 virus may be a recombination of two different viruses. Alexandre Hassanin, Lecturer at Sorbonne University in France, explained that for this to happen, two different viruses will have had to have infected the same organism at the same time.
While the exact origin of COVID-19 is yet to be confirmed, there have been studies linking the novel coronavirus to both bats and pangolins. The latter is considered to be a possible "intermediate" host, transferring the virus from bats to humans—but it is only a hypothesis at this stage.
Bushmeat is commonly sold in Gabon and the popularity of pangolin meat is highlighted by a 2018 study published in African Journal of Ecology. Researchers comparing village sales and trade chains in 2002, 2003 and 2014 found pangolins were the most frequently requested species of 2014. In the country's capital, Libreville, prices for giant pangolin and arboreal pangolin increased 211 percent and 73 percent within that time frame. In contrast, inflation rose 4.6 percent.
Even before the ban was announced, demand for pangolins had dropped in Gabon following suggestions they may have hosted the virus, AFP reported in March.
The issue of bushmeat and wildlife markets as a potential source of zoonotic disease has been heavily debated following the outbreak of COVID-19, which began at the end of 2019. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, the acting executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, recently called for a ban on wet markets to prevent future pandemics.
"The message we are getting is if we don't take care of nature, it will take care of us," Mrema told The Guardian.
But, she explained, it is also important to realize many people are reliant on the sale of wild animals for their livelihood and to find alternatives for communities sustained around bushmeat. "Unless we get alternatives for these communities, there might be a danger of opening up illegal trade in wild animals which currently is already leading us to the brink of extinction for some species," she said.
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In addition to the banning of certain bushmeats, the Gabonese government is seeking to strengthen measures designed to tackle the spread of the virus. This includes the introduction of mass screening.
On Friday, President Ali Bongo Ondimba announced plans to build 60 centers across the country that will provide citizens with free tests, the Gabonese Press Agency reported.
According to Johns Hopkins, there have been 24 cases of COVID-19 reported in Gabon. One person has died and another has recovered. The rest remain active.
Newsweek has contacted The Ministry of Water & Forests for comment.
The below graphic from Statista shows the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as of April 6, 2020 3:00 a.m. EST.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advice on Using Face Coverings to Slow Spread of COVID-19
- CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering in public where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- A simple cloth face covering can help slow the spread of the virus by those infected and by those who do not exhibit symptoms.
- Cloth face coverings can be fashioned from household items. Guides are offered by the CDC.
- Cloth face coverings should be washed regularly. A washing machine will suffice.
- Practice safe removal of face coverings by not touching eyes, nose, and mouth, and wash hands immediately after removing the covering.
World Health Organization advice for avoiding spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Hygiene advice
- Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
- Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste.
- Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.
Medical advice
- Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms.
- Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and runny nose, to avoid potential spread of the disease to medical facilities and other people.
- If you develop serious symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and contact local health authorities in advance.
- Note any recent contact with others and travel details to provide to authorities who can trace and prevent spread of the disease.
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.
Mask and glove usage
- Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning.
- Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask.
- Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of the mask.
- Do not reuse single-use masks.
- Regularly washing bare hands is more effective against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves.
- The COVID-19 virus can still be picked up on rubber gloves and transmitted by touching your face.
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