This could be a very important development. If confirmed, it tells us where the natural reservoir of the virus is, and that if we eliminate the disease in humans, the virus still exists in nature.
I think it goes without saying that the use of civet cats as human food should be immediately banned.
And all closely related animals as well.
The earlier article about house cats being able to briefly carry SARS, but not transmit the disease, may not be correct if the cat is eaten. I have heard the Chinese eat dogs. Do they also eat house cats?
If there's a strongly enforced ban on civets,I would bet many of the hunters or trappers in Asia would just skin the critters and sell them as something else or smoke,salt,maybe jerk the meat to change its appearance.
Even if the meat was fully cooked by the trapper,the person that skins the animal would be most likely to get the disease.
I don't know how they trap over there but I would guess snares are used much of the time (cheap and easy to carry a lot).To just release an animal caught in a snare would put a person in contact with saliva and probably blood being slung around.
Some people can't follow game laws here.In Asia?No way!