The Chinese government on Monday 24th February passed a proposal to ban the eating and trading of all wild animals.

The move is aimed at safe guarding public health an ecological security.

This is after health expert linked the coronavirus epidemic to wild animals.

The official Xinhua news agency said the proposal was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC).

‘It aims to completely ban the eating of wild animals and crack down on illegal wildlife trade,’

According to the state controlled Newspaper, the People’s Daily, China hasn’t revised it’s wild animal protection law.

The passage of the proposal by it’s top legislative committee on Monday was ‘essential’ and ‘urgent’ in helping the country win its war against the epidemic.

The epidemic has claimed the lives of at least 2,628 people globally.

Globally, coronavirus has infected more than 79,700 and spread to at least two dozen countries.

Health experts believe the disease may have originated in bats or snakes, which are known carriers of coronaviruses.

The Chinese government issued a similar trade and eating ban on wildlife in 2002 after the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus killed hundreds of people in China .