While there is no evidence to prove that animals can spread or potentially risk the spread of coronavirus. Reportedly, a cat in Belgium tested positive for coronavirus after potentially contracting it from its human friend.
A cat in Belgium has tested positive for coronavirus, becoming the first known feline to contract the infectious disease. The sick pet in Liège tested positive after showing symptoms typical of COVID-19 https://t.co/NWkTvQCKFF
— Alfons López Tena (@alfonslopeztena) March 28, 2020
According to reports, the cat had mild symptoms of Covid-19, including difficulty in breathing. This comes a week after its human friend fell sick. The cat also had diarrhea after which, the researchers subsequently found the novel coronavirus in her feces.
During a Federal Public Service Health press conference held on Friday, virologist Steven Van Gucht said:
Recently, the veterinary medicine faculty in Liège reported that a coronavirus infection has been determined in a cat. The cat lived with her owner, who started showing symptoms of the virus a week before the cat did.
However, Gucht also clearly stated that this case is about human-to-animal transmission and not the other way around. He also stresses on the fact that this isn’t common and the risk of animal-to-human transmission is very small.
Something similar had happened in Hong Kong when two dogs tested positive for coronavirus out of which, a 17-year-old Pomeranian died after going home from quarantine.
While doctors and researchers are still looking for a cure, the total number of confirmed cases has crossed the 6 lakh mark, globally.
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