How wildlife trade is linked to coronavirus?

The coronavirus came from animals because people traded them like toys in a big market.

Imagine you have a pet hamster that lives in a cage. Now imagine that cage is opened, and the hamster runs out to meet other pets, like a cat or a bird. Sometimes, when those animals get close, they can pass germs to each other, just like how kids might share germs when they play together.

That’s what happened with wildlife trade, people sell animals in big markets, and sometimes the animals are kept very close together, like in a busy playground. The coronavirus was probably passed from one animal to another, and then it jumped into humans, just like how a cold can jump from your brother to you.

In some places, people sell live animals in open markets, kind of like a food market, but with pets instead of fruits. When those animals are crowded together, germs can spread faster than when they're alone. That’s how the virus got from an animal to a person, and then it started spreading around the world.

It's like if you shared your snack with someone who had a sneeze, suddenly, everyone in class might get sick!