Pet cat becomes first animal in the UK to test positive for Covid-19, chief vet confirms
The pet cat was found to be co-infected with both Covid-19 and feline herpes (PA)
2 min read
The Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed that a pet cat has tested positive for Covid-19, but has insisted that there is no evidence domestic animals can transmit the disease to humans.
Public Health England added that the incident “should not be a cause for alarm” and reiterated that people should wash their hands regularly, including before and after contact with animals.
It is believed that the cat contracted the virus from its owners, who had previously tested positive for coronavirus and have since made a full recovery.
The case is the first known occurrence of an animal becoming infected with the Covid-19 coronavirus strain in the UK.
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said: “Tests conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) have confirmed that the virus responsible for Covid-19 has been detected in a pet cat in England.
“This is a very rare event with infected animals detected to date only showing mild clinical signs and recovering within in a few days.
“There is no evidence to suggest that pets directly transmit the virus to humans. We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change.”
The cat was initially believed to be suffering from the feline herpes virus, which is a common cat respiratory infection.
But samples from the animal were tested for coronavirus as part of a research programme, and was subsequently retested at APHA laboratory in Weybridge.
It was discovered that the cat was co-infected with Covid-19, as well as suffering from the feline herpes virus.
There have been a very small number of confirmed cases in pets in other countries in Europe, North America and Asia.
Research by the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute published in May suggested that ferrets and cats were both susceptible to the virus, but that onward transmission was unlikely.
Dogs, pigs, chickens, and ducks, however, we found to be unlikely to contract the Covid-19 strain.
Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England, said: “This is the first case of a domestic cat testing positive for COVID-19 in the UK but should not be a cause for alarm.
“The investigation into this case suggest that the infection was spread from humans to animal, and not the other way round. At this time, there is no evidence that pets can transmit the disease to humans.
“In line with the general advice on fighting coronavirus, you should wash your hands regularly, including before and after contact with animals.”
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