China bans wild animal trade to control spread of virus

China bans all trading of wild animals at markets, restaurants and e-commerce platforms to control the spread of the novel coronavirus epidemic, a new notice said on Sunday.

The ban is implemented from Sunday until the risks of the epidemic have been resolved, the notice said, as experts have confirmed that wild animals were the origin of the virus.

Jointly released by the State Administration for Market Regulation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the notice requires wild animal breeding farms to implement quarantine policies and forbids any selling or transporting of wild animals.

The public can report any trading of wild animals to 12315 hotlines, the notice said.

Local authorities should hold violators accountable and those who have violated relevant laws will be dealt with by public security authorities, it added.