What are China's wet markets, and why Mike Pompeo is insisting on their permanent closure?

After the coronavirus outbreak, the United Nations called for a worldwide ban on the wet markets in China. Among numerous such infectious diseases, SARS and Covid-19 are believed to have originated from such markets as one in Wuhan. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Wednesday that the United States had called China and demanded permanent closure of the wet markets.

To understand the Chinese wet markets, here’s a brief introduction: - Chinese wet markets are an everyday shopping place for Chinese people. These are open shops set up on the road where people can purchase live animals of different sorts to cook and eat. It also includes seafood, various wild animals that can be butchered on the spot, fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices. These wet markets have been around for generations and have become an essential part of the Chinese lifestyle.

Many Scientists have studied and notified that the root cause of countless infectious diseases like Ebola, SARS, MERS, and Covid-19 was because of close contact between human beings and wild animals. Scientist says that these virus infections can spread easily when butchers and customers come in regular close contact with the wild animal's body fluids. Virologists are studying and researching on how virus can mutate and jump species.

China has temporarily shut its wet markets after the coronavirus outbreak, but as the health crisis gets over, they will reopen it again. The coronavirus pandemic has spread all around the globe, with around 2,647,512 positive cases and 184,372 deaths, according to John Hopkins University data.

Last week, Pompeo accused Chinese authorities of neglecting to report human-to-human transmission of the infection for a month until it converted into a pandemic. He moreover reprimanded WHO for not performing their duty appropriately and fairly, informing what was happening in the world.

The Trump administration has time and again accused China of covering up the coronavirus pandemic. Recently, the President halted funds to the World Health Organization saying that they failed in containing the deadly virus and claiming they were biased towards China.

 This week, Missouri attorney general has filed a case on China for deceit over the pandemic. Many top diplomats in the US Administration and health advisors also pressed on banning the Chinese wet markets.