HK Confirms Dog Has Coronavirus in Suspected Human-to-Animal Transmission

[TSUNAMI 21,297]

The pet dog of a coronavirus patient in Hong Kong was confirmed to be infected with the disease, in a likely case of human-to-animal transmission, authorities said on Wednesday.

 

The canine, which belongs to a 60-year-old woman patient, had repeatedly tested "weak positive" for the new coronavirus since Friday, when it was quarantined at an animal centre.

The city's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said repeated tests suggest the dog – a Pomeranian – has "a low-level of infection".

The AFCD said experts from universities and the World Organisation for Animal Health have unanimously agreed that "it is likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission".

The Pomeranian has not shown any novel coronavirus symptoms, it said.

New measures put in place by Hong Kong's government last Friday mean all pets infected with the coronavirus must be quarantined for 14 days. Two dogs are already in isolation.

The other dog in quarantine belongs to a second coronavirus patient that tested negative for the virus once and will be tested again before its release.

Authorities said they will continue to closely monitor the Pomeranian and return it to its owner when it tests negative for the disease.

"Apart from maintaining good hygiene practices, pet owners need not be overly concerned and under no circumstances should they abandon their pets," an AFCD spokesman said.

The financial hub has confirmed 104 cases of the new coronavirus in humans, with two deaths earlier this month.

 

Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/it-s-confirmed-a-pet-dog-has-tested-positive-to-the-new-coronavirus

 

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This stresses me out way too much! I hope pets can fight it off easier! 

[gaganime 18]

Oh no

[Tayko 1,203]

My cat is not gonna eat tonight 

 

Spoiler

JK 

 

[MrDaniel 14,666]

Poor Dog! I just keep hoping this virus won’t stay for over 1 year. Keep safe everyone

[uo111 5,282]

3 minutes ago, JFK said:

This stresses me out way too much! I hope pets can't fight it off easier! 

Omg you’re a monster!

[TSUNAMI 21,297]

4 minutes ago, uo111 said:

Omg you’re a monster!

OMFG A TYPO SIS 

[thatfoxyfeeling 13,401]

I've been playing too much Plague Inc. birds next and we're ****ed. 

[dynamite 66,615]

13 minutes ago, uo111 said:

Omg you’re a monster!

Yeah paws up xx

[Dilwyn 4,090]

Damn, this **** is getting serious.

[FlopSlurper 34,336]

7 minutes ago, THATFoxyFeeling said:

I've been playing too much Plague Inc. birds next and we're ****ed. 

play A Plague Tale: Innocence for taste

[SlayYo 206]

I am a hongkonger and I worked last year in AFCD as a summer intern. Sadly Hong Kong has been a dead city with literally all government facilities closed...we’re seriously affected by China’s concealment of the epidemic

[Serial Chiller 8,044]

This is misleading. The dog was not “infected”. It simply came into contact with a surface with the virus and either by licking or ingesting something which has it.

The virus hasn’t invaded their system in the sense that they replicate in the dog. That’s what I consider “infection” - virus taking over the host and multiplying. 

So no, they’re not infected, yet. That’s like saying the table and the chair are infected. More like “contaminated” 

[voidfigure 1,612]

4 minutes ago, Serial Chiller said:

This is misleading. The dog was not “infected”. It simply came into contact with a surface with the virus and either by licking or ingesting something which has it.

The virus hasn’t invaded their system in the sense that they replicate in the dog. That’s what I consider “infection” - virus taking over the host and multiplying. 

So no, they’re not infected, yet. That’s like saying the table and the chair are infected. More like “contaminated” 

This, also it was confirmed that pets don't transmit the virus, so the fact that both the dog and the owner were positive means they both contracted the virus separately

[FATCAT 60,888]

Oh **** just when I thought I was safe

[TSUNAMI 21,297]

20 minutes ago, FATCAT said:

Oh **** just when I thought I was safe

Hide yo tail!