Covid-19: A wake-up call to save the Earth

As the world grapples with the catastrophic effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, one which has left millions of people infected, thousands dead and economies on the verge of collapse, many are drawing parallels between continued destruction of the planet and emergence of infectious diseases.

Encroachment into animals’ habitats is now at an all-time high with hunting, wildlife trade and the conversion of land for agriculture increasing the interaction between humans and wild animals. Consequently, this has increased the risk of disease transmission from one species to the other.