WorldHealth

Can Your Pet Get Coronavirus? Experts Say No

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) needs no introduction. Ever since the pandemic spread of the virus which originated from an illegal animal market in Wuhan, China, the World Health Organisation (WHO) in association with governments are rallying to protect their people from the respiratory virus.

The figures for coronavirus, if looked from a holistic point of view, are not that deadly. At the time of writing this article, worldwide deaths were recorded at 5, 440 and total cases at 145, 993. What makes the virus so scary to most of us is the rate at which it seems to spread. That, and the fact that scientists are struggling to find a vaccine for the virus that anyone could have.

In such a situation, the global call for practising precaution has been very strong. Governments have adopted creative measures to keep people reminded of washing their hands at regular intervals, a pop song from Vietnam with more than 5 million views being the latest to go viral.

Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctF5aMV05kM

If there is one group that struggles most with contagious diseases, it’s pet owners. If there are kids and pets at home, this situation assumes the form of a blinking red question mark. Let us assure you, there is no evidence showing that a pet can transmit the disease to a human. Even in the only animal recorded case in Hong Kong, where a coronavirus patient’s dog tested positive, it was a weak positive, likely transmitted from the pet owner to the pet.

You should not be worried about the welfare of your pets, or other people’s pets, according to authorities. The advice remains the same:  practice good hygiene. Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, especially after interaction with your pets. And if you were wondering, no, pets do not need a face mask to protect themselves from the new coronavirus.

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