COVID-19: Sellers at China's wet market say 'we are doomed this year'

With coronavirus situation slowly improving in China, wet markets are now fighting for their survival as customers are not rushing in like before. Wet markets have been slammed by the international community as it is believed the virus that has killed more than 1.3 lakh people worldwide originated from a seafood market in China's Wuhan city. According to reports, signboards have been placed in Wuhan's wet markets saying that the sale of wild animals is forbidden and speakers continuously announcing 'victory' over COVID-19.

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According to reports, sellers in the markets are now facing the heat because of the lengthy lockdown that lasted for approximately two months. Spice seller Yang while talking to the media said that he is doomed this year as his sale has gone down by a third. Yang added that he has never seen so few people at his market before and dismissed the criticism that markets like his are facing after the outbreak came into the light.

According to reports, one seafood market still remains closed even though others have opened their doors since the lockdown was revoked on April 8. The Huanan Seafood Market that sold a range of exotic wildlife is suspected of being the origin of the virus, it is where the virus may have transmitted from animals to humans. 

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China has been able to bend its curve and has put control over new deaths. So far, China has reported over 82,000 infections and more than 3,300 deaths, which now looks much smaller in front of the United States some European countries. According to data, there are currently 1,107 active cases in China, of which 95 remain under critical condition. 

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Coronavirus outbreak

The deadly Coronavirus infection has claimed more than 1,34,000 lives across the world and has infected over 20,83,000 people globally since it first broke out in December 2019. China was the most affected country until last month before Italy, Spain, the US, UK, Iran, Germany and France surpassed it to record the most number of deaths anywhere in the world due to COVID-19. The virus is believed to have originated from a seafood market in China's Wuhan city, the epicentre of the disease, where animals were reportedly being traded illegally.

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(Image Credit: AP)