The novel coronavirus again shows that deadly illnesses can pass between species. Environmentalists hope that politicians will take urgent action to protect biodiversity and deal with the effects of climate change.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the outbreak of infectious diseases is connected to the destruction of forests and other ecosystems,” Thies said. “Apart from the other more traditional reasons for protecting the environment, restoring biodiversity and the forests, there is also that of protecting health and preventing outbreaks of dangerous diseases.”
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