Australian PM Scott Morrison Criticises WHO for Backing China on Reopening Wet Markets

Melbourne: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday described as "unfathomable" the World Health Organisation's support for the reopening of China's notorious wet markets after the deadly coronavirus originated in one of them and went on to infect almost two million people globally.

A wet market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan is believed to be the source of the coronavirus pandemic that began in December last year, crossing from animals to humans.

Morrison lashed out at the World Health Organisation (WHO) for supporting the reopening of wet markets in China.

The prime minister said it was "unfathomable" to back live animal markets, which were likely the cause of the killer coronavirus.

"I'm totally puzzled by this decision," Morrison told a local TV channel.

"We need to protect the world against potential sources of outbreaks of these types of viruses," Morrison said, adding "It has happened too many times."

On Monday, Morrison said that Australia and the globe would be looking to international organisations like the WHO to ensure lessons have been learned from the pandemic.

"There must be transparency in understanding how it began in Wuhan and how it was transmitted. We also need to fully understand and protect against the global health threat posed by places like wet markets," Morrison was quoted by 'The Australian'.

A wet market sells fresh meat, fish, produce, and other perishable goods as distinguished from "dry markets". It gets its name from the floors being constantly wet from the spraying of fresh produce and cleaning of meat and seafood stalls.

The coronavirus is believed to have originated from the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan.

Australian Health Minister Greg Hunt said he was unsettled by China's plans to reopen the markets.

"There is a very real likelihood that this disease arose from a wet market in Wuhan - it's clear that these are dangerous vectors," Hunt was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Global leaders have urged China to ban the "deadly and diseased" food markets, but the WHO disagrees.

The WHO said wet markets are crucial sources of food and should be allowed to continue trading, the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) reported.

But it is necessary to regulate them and introduce measures to decrease the risk of transmission of diseases at them, the WHO told SBS News in a statement.

"With adequate facilities, proper regulation and good hygiene practices it is possible to have safe food sold in wet markets," the UN organisation told The Australian.

Meanwhile, the Australian death toll from COVID-19 reached 61. The positive cases of infection in the country reached 6,400.

The country's chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said that social distancing measures in place could not be relaxed until a vaccine was developed.

"If you go hard late, as the UK has done, you can just see what carnage you suffer on the way through," Murphy said, adding "It's hard for me to envisage reopening nightclubs and big music festivals in the foreseeable future."

Globally, the coronavirus pandemic has killed 119,666 people and infected almost two million people, according to Johns Hopkins University data.