Cats
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A recently published study in the Journal of Science confirms that COVID-19 can infect cats, and this has now prompted the World Health Organization to have a further look at the study.

COVID-19 TRANSMISSION

COVID-19 that originated in Wuhan, China, is thought to be transmitted by persons to other persons through droplets. It is for this reason that social distancing, stay-at-home policy, and other strict measures are implemented across the globe to control the spread of the virus.

Now, there are more than 1.5 million of COVID-19 cases around the globe and a death toll of more than 88,000 according to worldometers. These numbers are expected to increase or will reach its peak once there is mass testing for COVID-19.

The transmission of COVID-19 from persons-to-persons has been scientifically established. It is the reason why almost 30 pharmaceutical companies are on the race of developing a vaccine that will kill the virus and treat the patients. 

CATS CAN CATCH THE VIRUS

Recent research published in the Journal of Science states that COVID-19 can infect cats, but dogs and other animals like chickens, pigs, and ducks are not likely to catch the virus. 

The primary purpose of the study is to identify which among the animals are vulnerable for the virus so that they can use it in testing the vaccine before applying for the Phase 1 or the human clinical trial to make sure that the vaccine is safe and effective.

It is believed that the virus first spread from bats to humans. Meanwhile, aside from the reports that cats and dogs can be infected with the virus, there is still no scientific and empirical evidence that pets can be carriers of the virus. 

In a recent report from Latin Post, a four-year-old Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for COVID-19 after it was exposed to a zookeeper who was an asymptomatic COVID-19 carrier. It raised the question of whether or not the virus can be transmitted from humans-to-animals.

HOW THE RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED

During the epidemic period of COVID-19 in China, they conducted a study in January and February and they found out that cats and ferrets are highly susceptible to the virus. The researchers of the said study attempted to infect the animals through viral particles via the nose.

The other result of the study is that cats can transmit the virus to other cats via respiratory droplets. At the same time, these infected cats were found to have the virus in their mouth, nose, and small intestines.

Daniel Kuritzkes, head of infectious diseases at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, said: "It's both interesting and not surprising in the sense that with the original SARS epidemic, civet cats were implicated as one of the vectors that may have transmitted virus to humans."

He also added: "What these data do provide is support for the recommendation that people who are with COVID-19 should be distancing themselves, not only from other household members but also from their household pets, so as not to transmit the virus to their pets, particularly to cats or other felines."

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WILL HAVE A FURTHER STUDY

For this reason, the World Health Organization announced that they are now working with their partners to have a closer look at the study so that they will know the role of cats in this infectious and deadly disease. 

Maria Van Kerkhove, a WHO epidemiologist, said: "We don't believe that they are playing a role in transmission, but we think that they may be able to be infected from an infected person." 

Moreover, WHO's top emergency expert Mike Ryan is asking people not to retaliate against the animals. He said: "They're beings in their own right and they deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. They are victims like the rest of us." 

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