Badgers and rabbits may be virus carriers

World Health Organization (WHO) experts investigating the pandemic’s origins have indicated that ferret badgers and rabbits, which were sold at a Wuhan market in China, could have played a role in spreading the coronavirus to humans, The Wall Street Journal reported. The investigators, however, note the need for further probe into suppliers of those and other animals to the market. They are yet to ascertain a full list of animals sold legally or illegally at the market. The experts have also insisted that China carry out widespread testing of its mink farms after two-way transmission of Sars-CoV-2 between humans and minks was confirmed in Europe. The WHO expert team finished their four-week trip to China last week. They earlier said that the theory of an outbreak from a Wuhan lab was unlikely.

Vehicle owners in Punjab will now have an option to carry digital copies of their driving licences (DLs) and registration certificates (RCs) in the state, as the state transport department has allowed the electronic format of DLs and RCs on Friday.

Punjab transport minister Razia Sultana in a statement said DLs and vehicle RCs can be produced through mobile apps mParivahan and DigiLocker, if law enforcement authorities like the traffic police and regional transport offices (RTOs) will ask for these documents during the on-spot inspection. It will enable vehicle owners not to carry plastic cards or physical copies.

Sultana directed that the information regarding allowing virtual DLs and RCs should be put on the notice boards of the transport offices in the state to aware the general public.