Imti Ozukum
New Delhi
We know what a wet market is and probably most of us have been to one. Wet market differs in size, the way it is run, ownership and other aspects. Wet markets are characterized by large number of local sellers selling variety of fresh meat usually butchered in front of the customer, fresh vegetables of seasonal varieties and even exotic wild animals. It is common in countries like china, Southeast Asian countries and even Nagaland. Such markets are common across underdeveloped and developing countries around the world.
Such wet markets have been an integral part of our trading experience with the people of the plains even before the arrival of the British. The importance of wet market as a platform of trading for our local farmers is duly noted. In the context of Nagaland, wet market can be also taken to mean local markets.Apart from being an important platform for farmers and local traders there is a connection to it in terms of culinary tradition where fresh meat and fresh seasonal vegetables are preferred instead of frozen and packaged food. In addition to that such market has evolved to align with our mode of social interaction and local culture.Such markets are dependent on smaller volume and inconsistent seasonal goods which forms an important part of our dietary habit.
The outbreak of COVID19 pandemic has put wet markets in the lime light where the SARS-COV-2 is suspected to have originated in a wet market in Wuhan, China. Though the world is still looking for an answer as to where the virus originated, the fact that wet market has been responsible for similar outbreak in the past calls for an examination of our practice and food habit.
The concern here is not about wet market in general but on the practice of selling wild animals in our markets along with other farm animals and vegetables.The condition of local markets in our state is anything but hygienic. Open display of wild animals along with other farm products can create a favourable condition for breeding and transmission of infectious disease to humans. In such case we face the danger of pathogens jumping species and causing infectious disease through contact and consumption.
According to a report on Zoonotic Disease, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, United States, 3 out of every 4 new or emerging infectious diseases in people comes from animals. Just because no such cases have been reported in our state does not mean that it never will. There is a need to create public health awareness on the danger of contracting dangerous diseases from such practices.
Here, let us look at some cases of infectious disease transmission from animals to humans:
The 2002-2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus or SARS-CoV-1 was directly linked to wet market in Foshan, China. It affected 26 countries with more than 8000 confirmed cases in 2003. The virus is believed to have transmitted through animal reservoir like bat that spread to other animals like civet cats in the market and then to humans.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus or MERS-CoV was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. MERS-CoV is also a coronavirus that originated in bats. In this case Camels were found to be the reservoir or host animal through which it was transmitted to humans by contact or drinking of Camel milk.
H1N1 (Swine flu). We are no stranger to swine flu which has now become a seasonal flu. It was first detected in the United States in 2009. This influenza virus is believed to have resulted from crossover of gene segments between human and avian influenza viruses.
Nipah virus. El Nino related draught and anthropogenic forest fires in Indonesia during 1997-1998 resulted in fruiting failure of forest trees forcing forest fruit bats to migrate towards cultivated farm and pig farms. This has caused contamination and infection of the farm animals by the virus which is then transmitted to humans through contact. Millions of pigs were euthanized following the outbreak of Nipah virus in Malaysia in 1999.
The list can go on but the point is made on the danger of contracting infectious disease from animals to humans. Though food habit and consumption pattern has changed with the change of socio-economic condition in our society, our love of consuming the meat of wild animals and the practice of procuring and handling such food item has hardly changed. No meaningful economic contribution is made by indulging in such habit but it only fuels the indiscriminate hunting of already disappearing wildlife population out of existence.
While hunting and selling wild animals may provide a means of seasonal income to some but that is not a justification for such practice to continue. It remains a source of seasonal income because there is demand for it. Hunting and consuming wild animals is considered as a recreational activity where people from towns and cities go to villages seeking that excitement. We need to let go of such behaviour that exist just for the sake of fun and excitement. There are ways to socialize with our peer group in the village without killing wild animals and we are certainly not living in an era where we have to gift wild animals to show our affection. Similarly, our babies will grow up just fine without having the flying squirrel soup.With the acute lack of healthcare infrastructure in our state any outbreak of infectious disease would be deadly. Time has changed and hunting and consuming wild animals is no longer a necessity but a cruel luxury, a luxury we can afford to do without.
There is a need to re-examine our culinary habit from both conservation and public health stand point. Conservation efforts and bringing hygienic condition to our markets can be effectively realized only when the public become intolerant towards such unhygienic practice. In a single butcher shop there are probably more flies than the entire human population of Nagaland! How deep should the puddle be and how strong should the stench be until we call it unhygienic?Speaking of bringing change I am reminded of our state government. How long should our government keep its head buried under the sand? Is our government incapable of bringing any proactive change?
