The coronavirus, which has entered our lives especially since 2020, has prompted people to think more about epidemics. We can say that the deaths, of which we have seen many examples in history, are caused by diseases such as ebola, cholera, AIDS and tuberculosis.
Moreover, the fact that the origin of these diseases is Africa, where poverty is rampant, can draw attention to the relationship between the disease and geography. So, do diseases really have a relationship with geography? Can diseases emerge from certain regions and turn into epidemics that affect the world? Let’s tackle the issue together.
Increasing population and changing architecture of cities can invite epidemics.
The rapid growth of the human population in countries such as Asia and Africa may lead to more emergence of diseases in these countries. For example, cities in the Asia and Pacific regions, where 60% of the world live, continue to develop further. In fact, according to the statements of the World Bank, approximately 200 million people have migrated to cities in East Asia in the first decade of the 21st century. Thus, we can understand that the area has become quite crowded.
Since these migrations will also create a need for new settlements, forested lands are destroyed in order to build new residences. In this case, wild animals living in forests may have to mix with domestic animals and people. As a result, it can be observed that various viruses spread to urban life due to wild animals.
Animal markets and subsistence agriculture are other conditions that prepare the environment for the spread of viruses.
The agricultural system in Asia and Africa is generally dependent on subsistence agriculture and animal husbandry. In this case, it can be difficult to control whether the animals are sick on a regular basis, because it is known that there are limited opportunities in this agricultural system to feed the animals and provide shelter.
For example, cattle, pigs and chickens, which are risky animals for carriers of endemic diseases, generally share the same housing environment with each other. In addition, these animals appear to be in constant close contact with other non-domestic animals and humans. Of course, not only the problems in the agricultural system help the spread of diseases. At the same time, livestock markets in Asia and Africa are very crowded places where many living things, including humans, come together and are suitable environments for the reproduction of various viruses.
Especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, wild animal hunting and butchery cause the extinction of some animal species, so the ecosystem can suffer irreversible damage.
The hunting culture in Sub-Saharan Africa is very dangerous for the transmission and proliferation of zoonotic diseases. In fact, another danger in this regard is the traditional Chinese medicine culture in Asia.
In this culture, parts of the bodies of other wild animals such as tigers, bears, pangolins, and rhinos are mixed with medicines used in Chinese medicine. This creates human-animal interaction and can cause people to live more closely with epidemics.
Sources: 1, 2
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