New research shows a link between deforestation and viral outbreaks

"One of the most significant drivers responsible for all the emerging disease events is land use change."

STORIES COMING UP ON FOX 4 NEWSAT 6 IN NAPLES, SANDRARODRIGUEZ FOX 4 IN YOUR CORNER*VO LAND DESTRUCTION EPIDEMICSNEWSY*THERE’S NEW RESEARCH INDICATINGA LINK BETWEEN DE-FORESTATIONAND OUTBREAKS OF INFECTIOUSDISEASES.THE SPREAD OF MALARIA INCREASEDAS BRAZIL’S RAINFOREST BURNED.NIPHA(NEE-FA)VIRUS INCREASED AS INDONESIACLEARED LAND FOR AGRICULTURE.LOGGING AND ROAD CONSTRUCITONARE THOUGHT TO BE FACTORS IN THEREMERGENCE OF EBOLA.OUR PARTNERS AT NEWSY ANDREPORTER ELLEN ROLFES(RALL-FES)’ON’ WHY THIS MIGHT BE THECASE.*PKG LAND DESTRUCTION EPIDEMICSNEWSY*"............"About 60% of all diseases thatinfect humans originate inanimals.In the case of COVID-19,scientists theorize that itoriginated in a bat and jumpedto another species beforereaching humans.

While diseasespillover is rare, thelikelihood of transmission seemsto increase when viruses spreadfirst to domestic animals likepoultry, cows or pigs.Changes to the environment byhumans can amplify the spillovereffect.SOT EPSTEINWe did an analysis of all theinstances of new emergingdiseases over the last 80 yearsand looked at the exact reasonsand circumstances as to howthose diseases emerged.Jonathan Epstein is aveterinarian and diseaseecologist at EcoHealth Alliance,who studies emerging zoonoticviruses.SOT EPSTEINOne of the most significantdrivers responsible for about 30percent of all the emergingdisease events is land usechange.

That could bedeforestation.

It could beagricultural expansion, but itcould also be reforestation.These kinds of shifts in landuse are seen all over the world.In disrupting intact ecosystems,they reduce the natural barriersbetween virus host animals andhumans.When EcoHealth Alliance mappedout where zoonotic outbreaks aremostly likely to occur, theglobal hotspots highlighted inyellow aligned with areas wherelarge numbers of humans andlivestock are living nearpristine environmentsexperiencing rapid development.SOT EPSTEINWell, when we look at the areason the planet that tend to bethe most vulnerable to emergingviruses and specificallyzoonotic viruses, it does have alot to do with biodiversity.But it’s not the presence ofbiodiversity, that’s the risk.It’s the change to thatenvironment.

The incursion ofpeople and domestic animals