Wuhan, the city in China where the first cases of the novel coronavirus were reported late last year, has banned the eating of wild animals and is paying farmers to stop breeding exotic animals.
It’s part of a crackdown following the quick spread of the highly contagious respiratory virus, which has been linked to China‘s illegal wildlife trade.
Local officials in Wuhan, located in Hubei province, announced on Wednesday that the eating of all wild animals is officially banned, CBS News reports.
The crackdown, officials said, involves buying out wild animal breeders, imposing strict controls on animal breeding and a ban on all hunting of wild animals.