Pet cat of Coronavirus patient tests positive; currently asymptomatic: Hong Kong Govt

Amid the global outbreak of COVID-19, a pet cat in China has now tested positive for Coronavirus. The development is the latest case of human-to-animal transmission. The cat belongs to a COVID-19 patient based in Hong Kong, as per Chinese state media.

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COVID-19 patient's cat test positive 

As per the People's Daily, China, health officials collected samples from the cat's mouth and nose, following which the reports have indicated that the cat had been tested positive for COVID-19. However, Hong Kong government officials have also stated that the cat is not showing any signs of disease. 

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Even so, this is not the first case where an animal has contracted Coronavirus from an infected-owner. Earlier on March 27, media houses in Belgium reported another case where a cat had contracted the virus from the infected owner. Apparently, the cat started showing symptoms of COVID-19 a week after the owner tested positive. 

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Dogs test positive 

Similarly, two dogs in Hong Kong tested positive after a screening campaign was conducted on 17 dogs and eight cats belonging to the affected people. Even so, the dogs were not showing any symptoms. In early March, the first dog who was detected of Coronavirus was put under quarantine after being found as "weakly positive." 

Coronavirus and animals

It is important to note here that the American Centre for Disease Control (CDC) writes the following in its page on the topic:

• "Coronaviruses that infect animals can become able to infect people, but this is rare"
• "CDC has not received any reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19. Further studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by COVID-19"
• "At this time, there is no evidence that companion animals, including pets, can spread COVID-19 or that they might be a source of infection in the United States"

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