The origin of the coronavirus still remains a mystery, as many people believe it is manmade, while medical experts call it a zoonotic pathogen that reached humans from animals. As the pandemic continues its deadly killing spree in all nooks of the world, a top ecologist has claimed that humans will face more global pandemics in the coming years. Brazilian ecologist David Lapola also predicted the next epicenter of a possible pandemic that could be most likely zoonotic.
A Pandemic from Amazon Forests
Lapola revealed that human encroachment on animal habitats is widely increasing due to deforestation, and the urbanization of previously wild areas could trigger the outbreak of zoonotic diseases. According to medical experts, the coronavirus might have originated in bats, before passing the pathogen to humans.
In a recent interview with AFP, Lapola claimed that the Amazon forests are huge reservoirs of viruses, and human interference in these regions could result in the outbreak of the next global pandemic.
"Amazon is a huge reservoir of viruses. We'd better not try our luck. When you create ecological disequilibrium... that's when a virus can jump," Lapola told AFP.
Amazon Forests Disappearing Quickly
The Amazon forests are now disappearing at a rapid pace, and the latest statistics reveal that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has surged 85 percent, an area equivalent to 3,900 square miles. Lapola, who currently works at the University of Campinas in Brazil, argued that the current trend is dangerous for both the planet and public health.
Lapola also urged authorities to take strict measures to protect rain forests which play a crucial role in maintaining nature's equilibrium.
"I hope under the next administration we'll pay more attention to protecting what may be the planet's greatest biological treasure. We need to reinvent the relationship between our society and the rain forest. We'd better just play it safe," added Lapola.
