UN experts have warned that Zoonotic diseases - which jump from animals to humans - are increasing and will continue to do so without action to protect wildlife and preserve the environment.
They blame the rise in diseases such as Covid-19 on high demand for animal protein, unsustainable agricultural practices and climate change.
They say neglected zoonotic diseases kill two million people a year.
COVID-19 is set to cost the global economy US $9tn over two years.
Ebola, West Nile virus and Sars are also all zoonotic diseases: they started in animals, and made the jump to humans.
[Source: BBC]
