Two cats in New York have become the first pets in the United States to test positive for the novel coronavirus.
The US Department of Agriculture in a joint statement with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday said; “these are the first pets in the United States to test positive.”
According to the CDC, it is believed they contracted the virus from people in their households or neighbourhoods.
The agencies emphasized that there is no evidence pets play a role in spreading coronavirus in the United States.
They added that;
There is no justification in taking measures against companion animals that may compromise their welfare.
The cats, from separate areas of New York state, had mild respiratory illness and are expected to make a full recovery.
A veterinarian tested the first house cat after it showed mild respiratory signs, but none of the humans in its household were confirmed to have the virus.
The officials said the cat may have been infected by someone outside the home or someone inside the house, with mild or no symptoms.
The second cat, in a separate area of New York, was also tested after it showed signs of respiratory illness.
The owner of that cat tested positive for Covid-19 before the cat became ill, but another cat in the household has shown no signs of illness.
On his part, Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, at the daily coronavirus briefing on Wednesday said;
It’s not surprising they could have been infected. There is no evidence whatsoever that we’ve seen, from an epidemiological standpoint, that pets can be transmitters within the household.
While officials are still learning more about coronavirus and pets, the CDC is recommending that people limit interactions between their pets and people or animals outside the household.
Cats should be kept indoors when possible, the CDC said, and dogs should be walked on a leash, maintaining at least six feet from other people and animals.
The agency said dogs should also avoid public places where a large number of people and animals gather, such as dog parks.
The two cats have joined the ranks of other animals that have tested positive for the virus.
Wildlife Conservation Society in the U.S confirmed that a 4-year-old Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for the novel coronavirus, which is believed to be the first known infection in an animal in the U.S.
The tiger named Nadia and her sister Azul, along with two other tigers and three lions experienced Covid-19 symptoms.
Also, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, one cat in Hong Kong tested positive without displaying symptoms, while a cat in Belgium recovered nine days after falling ill.
