Two Cats Suffer From Coronavirus In New York

Two cats are currently down with coronavirus in New York, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) revealed on Wednesday, they are first two pets officially affected by COVID- 19 in the United States.

The two animals suffered from respiratory problems, but the veterinarians who examined them expect a full recovery, announced the CDC, the national public health authorities.

In the case of the first cat, no member of the household showed symptoms of the disease. But in the absence of serological tests, it could not be determined whether one or more of them were carrying the virus.

On the other hand, the master of the second feline tested positive for him.

While these are the first examples of contamination of pets in the United States, several cases have already been reported in the rest of the world.

In Belgium, an infected cat has shown respiratory problems, while in Hong Kong and Wuhan animals have tested positive.

Researchers and health authorities agree that to date there is no evidence that a domestic animal plays a role in the transmission of the virus to humans or other animals.

However, the CDC asks cat owners to keep them inside as much as possible, to avoid contact with people other than those in the home or other animals.

They also recommend that dog owners be subject to the same social distancing rules as humans when they are away from home.

In the event that one of the household members becomes ill, they are advised not to interact with their pet (s), just as they would for another human being.