BEIJING—TheFoodandDrugAdministrationonFeb6advisedagainsteatingwildanimalsand“novelty”foodduringtheupcomingSpringFestival.
PeoplefromsomepartsofChina,suchasGuangdongprovince,eatanimalssuchassnakesandrats.
Theadministrationsuggestedthatthepublic—especiallytheelderly,children,pregnantwomenandpeoplewithfoodallergies—consume“normal”foodandavoidanything“uncommon”.
Inlightofthis,ithassteppedupanationwidefoodsafetyinspectionaheadoftheSpringFestival,whichfallsonFeb19.
AspeciesofChinesebatwasconfirmedtobethesourceofthedeadlySARSvirusthatbrokeoutin2002,theChineseAcademyofSciencesrevealedin2013.
ArecentstudyonSARSconfirmedfindingsfrom2005thatidentifiedbatsasthenaturalhostsofcoronavirusescloselyrelatedtoSARS.
Theviruskilledabout800peopleduring2002and2003.Palmcivetssoldatliveanimalmarketswerepreviouslybelievedtobethedirectsourceofthevirus.
RegistrationNumber:05070218
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