First Confirmed Case of Cat Diagnosed with Coronavirus, Incident Occurred in Belgium, Possibly Due to Owner Infection
Belgian officials on Friday said that a cat tested positive for the coronavirus, after its owner was also infected. Belgian medical experts said the case appeared to be the owner infecting her pet.
According to Brussels Times on March 27, the health officials in Leuven, Belgium, stated during a press conference that the sick pet developed typical symptoms, including difficulty breathing, a week after its owner first became ill, and subsequently tested positive.
According to Dr. Steven Van Gucht, a Belgian medical expert, ‘The cat had diarrhea, was constantly vomiting, and had difficulty breathing. Researchers discovered the virus in the cat’s feces’
According to Brussels Times, there is currently no further information available about the cat or its owner’s condition. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization maintains that ‘there is no evidence that dogs, cats, or any pets can transmit the coronavirus to humans’.
Dr. Steven Van Gucht also emphasized that the case appeared to be the owner infecting her pet. He said, ‘We want to stress that this is an isolated case and the risk of animals transmitting the coronavirus is very low.’
The Belgian National Animal Protection Committee (CNPA) also told the newspaper that there is currently no known threat from pets. It said, ‘Animals are not transmission pathways for infectious diseases, so there is no reason to abandon your pets.’ It also advised pet owners ‘not to use their noses to rub against pets.’
Belgian officials at the press conference also said that in Belgium, 7284 people have been confirmed to have been infected with the coronavirus, and nearly 300 have died.
