South Korea To Test Pet Cats And Dogs For Covid-19

South Korea To Test Pet Cats And Dogs For Covid-19

By Sammie Jones-

Pet cats and dogs in South Korea’s capital city will now be tested for COVID-19 once  a pet begins to show symptoms of the virus.

The new tests come after a kitten in the country tested positive for the virus a few weeks ago – however, it’s thought pets contracting the virus is generally quite rare.

The infected kitten which was discovered at a religious facility in southeastern city of Jinju, is thought to have contracted the virus after a mother and daughter with the virus also stayed at the facility.

Officials in Seoul said animals that test positive must be quarantined at home for two weeks.

Only pets with symptoms, such as fever, coughing and breathing difficulties will be tested, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.

“Please keep your dogs at least two metres away from people and other pets when walking them, and strictly follow antivirus measures, such as wearing masks and washing hands,” said official Park Yoo-mi at an online news conference on Monday.

Four lions at Barcelona’s zoo tested positive for the virus last December after coming into contact with an asymptomatic member of staff. Three snow leopards at another zoo had also contracted the virus.

Under rules in the country, any pet that tests positive must quarantine for a period of time but does not need to go to an isolation facility, as there’s currently no evidence that the virus can be passed between animals and humans.

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However, Park Yoo-mi, a disease control official at a virtual press briefing, stated that if an owner becomes too sick to take care of their pet, it will be taken into quarantine at a city-run facility.

While there have been a handful of examples of COVID being spread to animals by humans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that the risk of animals spreading it to humans is still considered low.

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