Raccoon Dogs Implicated in Covid-19 Origins

The World Health Organization is investigating a possible link between raccoon dogs and the COVID-19 pandemic. Raccoon dogs are a wild dog native to East Asia, with fur markings and head shapes similar to those of raccoons. They were being sold at a seafood and meat market in Wuhan, China, where researchers found evidence of the coronavirus in January 2020. Raccoon dogs have been linked to other diseases in the past, and a recent study found that they carry 102 different viruses from 13 viral families, including four canine coronaviruses genetically similar to those found in humans. The study confirms the danger of live markets like the one in Wuhan, and experts warn that allowing them to flourish could lead to another outbreak and pandemic.