Coronavirus: Fear over rise in animal-to-human diseases

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, UN experts have warned.

They blame the rise in diseases such as Covid-19 on high demand for animal protein, unsustainable agricultural practices and climate change.

The UN wants to keep the human population growing while protecting wildlife, preserving environment, eating a lot less meat, but boosting globalized agribusiness.

"Over the last two decades and before Covid-19, zoonotic diseases caused economic damage of $100bn (£80bn)."

She said that "two million people in low- and middle-income countries die each year from neglected endemic zoonotic diseases - such as anthrax, bovine tuberculosis and rabies".

"These are often communities with complex development problems, high dependence on livestock and proximity to wildlife."

Meat production, for example, has increased by 260% in the last 50 years, Ms Andersen said.

"We have intensified agriculture, expanded infrastructure and extracted resources at the expense of our wild spaces," she explained.

"Dams, irrigation and factory farms are linked to 25% of infectious diseases in humans. Travel, transport and food supply chains have erased borders and distances. Climate change has contributed to the spread of pathogens."