The COVID-19 Virus Cannot Be Transmitted To Pets

JAKARTA - Two people in the Depok, West Java area are infected with the corona virus or COVID-19. Hundreds of specimens from those monitored by the government tested negative for the virus. However, recently there have been concerns that the virus is carried by pets.

This kind of concern is actually quite dangerous if not answered immediately. Moreover, in early February when the COVID-19 transmission case, as a result of being consumed by hoax news, a number of cats and dogs died after being thrown from an apartment in Tianjing City, Hubei Province, China, which at that time was the center of the spread of the virus. Apart from dogs, reported by The Sun, there are a number of cats in terrible condition after experiencing the same thing.

Responding to these concerns, the founder of Let's Adopt Indonesia! Carolina Fajar asked the public to be calm and not be swallowed up by hoax issues related to the spread of corona through pets. Because, according to him, until now there has been no proof that pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the virus.

"Until now there has been no evidence or reports (of that)," Caroline told VOI via text message, Thursday, March 5.

Even so, he asked people not to just hold any stray cats or dogs they encountered in their neighborhood.

"As a precaution, pet owners should avoid contact with animals they don't know and always wash their hands before and after interacting with animals," he said.

If the pet owner is diagnosed with COVID-19, Caroline explained that they must avoid contact with their pet cat or dog.

"If owners have to keep their pets or be around other animals when they are sick, they should wash their hands before and after interacting with animals and wear masks," he said.

In addition, based on advice from the American Veterinary Medical Association, Carolina asked pet owners not to forget their pets in emergency planning, as well as their two-week supply of food and medicine.

Although it is stated that cats and dogs cannot be infected with the COVID-19 virus, the fact is that in China there is a dog who tested positive for the virus based on test results that took samples from the dog's nose and oral cavity. Reporting from CNN, this is the first time a dog has tested positive for the virus.

The dog who has no symptoms of the infection will be tested again and monitored until the results are negative. Local authorities have also confirmed that this pet dog will be quarantined for 14 days.

It's just that, even though the test results show positive, according to the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and WHO, dogs and cats have not been proven to be infected with the virus. So in that case, even if the dog's test result is positive it doesn't mean he is infected.

In the report, it was also stated that this kind of fear actually occurred when the SARS outbreak hit China in 2003 and killed 280 people in Hong Kong.

According to SPCA Hong Kong chief veterinary surgeon Jane Gray who worked on the SARS epidemic said it was highly unlikely that the virus would be found in cats. Even if found, there is also no evidence that the virus can infect humans.

Likewise in the case of COVID-19. The virus may be able to infect pets such as cats and dogs, but they are different types and will not cause respiratory problems.