Morrison backs Chinese animal market ban

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for a global crackdown on Chinese wild animal markets which are believed to be the source of the coronavirus pandemic.

There has been widespread speculation the virus made the jump to humans at "wet markets" that have recently reopened in China.

Mr Morrison said the markets were a real and significant problem.

"From a world health point of view, I think this is something the World Health Organisation should do something about," he told 2GB radio on Friday.

He signalled Australia would take a strong stance through the United Nations in pushing China to ban wet markets.

"We've got to be quite strident on these things in these forums and making sure that they're dealing with what are quite serious health risks," the prime minister said.