Pet cat tested positive for coronavirus in UK
A pet cat has been tested positive for coronavirus in the UK. There are several other countries that reported positive coronavirus cases in animals. According to a report published by BBC, a British news agency, British experts said that it was the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in animals in the UK. It does not mean that the coronavirus infection spreading among the people due to their pets.
The experts said that the coronavirus was transmitted to the cat through its owner. The owner of the cat was tested positive for COVID-19. The owner and the pet have already recovered from the infection and they are healthy. The health officials said that it was a normal case and there was no danger in it. Christine Middlemiss, the chief veterinary officer of the UK, “It is a unique incident. The infected animals are showing moderate symptoms and they are recovering from it.”
Middlemiss added that they did not have any evidence related to the direct transmission of coronavirus from pets to humans. The veterinary department of the UK will closely monitor this situation. Middlemiss said that they would update pet owners about their research. Yvonne Doyle, the public health director of England for health protection, advised people to wash their hands regularly before and after close contact with their pets.
Recent research found that COVID-19 could stay in the soft furs of an animal for at least 1 year. Daniella Dos Santos, the president of the British Veterinary Association, said, “Our advice to pet owners who have COVID-19 to restrict contact with their pets as a precautionary measure.” Only a few cases of COVID-19 in pet animals have been reported in Europe, North America, America, and Asia.
The first confirmed case of the coronavirus in a cat was reported in Belgium in March 2020. In that case, the virus was transmitted to the cat from its female owner. In the US, two cats were tested positive for the coronavirus. Chinese research claimed before these cases that the coronavirus could impact pet animals.
