The CDC said that there was still
no evidence that pets played a role in spreading the virus and people shouldn't
take actions on their pets that "may compromise their welfare."
Two pet cats
have become the first pets in the US to test positive for Sars-Cov-2 (COVID-19
coronavirus).
The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) postulated that the cats had
contracted the virus from an infected human being.
Read
more: Tiger tests
positive for coronavirus at New York zoo
The
pet cats, who live in New York state, had mild respiratory illness before being
diagnosed with the virus. They are expected to fully recover.
The
CDC said that routine testing of animals for the coronavirus was not
recommended and state health officials would take a lead in determining if
animals should be tested.
The
health institute added that there was still no evidence that pets played a role
in spreading the virus and that people shouldn't take actions on their pets
that "may compromise their welfare."
The
institute's request follows reports across the world of people abandoning their
pets over rumors that they are carriers of coronavirus.
The
CDC released a list of recommendations to protect pets from the coronavirus.
Some of them are as follows:
·
Do not let pets interact with people or other animals outside
the household.
·
Keep cats indoors when possible to prevent them from interacting
with other animals or people.
·
Walk dogs on a leash, maintaining at least 6 feet from other
people and animals.
·
Avoid dog parks or public places where a large number of people
and dogs gather.
The
institute also cautioned COVID-19 patients to restrict contact with their pets.
https://www.dw.com/en/two-us-house-cats-test-positive-for-the-coronavirus/a-53213531