Health authorities in Hong Kong have confirmed the first case of Human to animal disease transmission when a pet dog belonging to COVID-19 novel coronavirus affected person was tested positive for the same.
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As per the reports of ANI, the pomeranian picked up the virus by surface contamination through Nose and mouth and was repeatedly tested “weak positive” since last Friday. The owner of the pet is a 60-year old woman who was admitted to the hospital on 25 February after being confirmed infected with COVID-19.
The Pomeranian has been quarantined with the local Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation, later department said that the experts from the University of Hong Kong, City University and World Organisation for Animal Health has been consulted and all of them unanimously agreed the results suggested the dog had “a low-level of infection and it is likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission”.
The Health Minister Sophia Chan Siu-Chee said during a press conference, “It is positive to test and has been infected, so it is now quarantined in a centre by the department. Further tests will be conducted and it will not be released until the tests return negative results.”
The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals(SPCA) in Hong Kong said that being infected is not as same as being infectious or capable of spreading the virus COVID-19.
“While the information tells us that the dog has a low-level of infection members of the public should note that the dog is showing no symptoms whatsoever. We have been informed the dog is currently very healthy and doing well at the quarantine centre,”, SPCA said.