Covid-19 patients can pass on virus to pets

Covid-19 patients are advised to avoid contact with their pets. - AFP

THAILAND (The Nation/Asia News Network): Covid-19 patients are being advised to avoid contact with their pets after a local study found that dogs and cats can contract the virus from their infected owners.

Assoc Prof Dr Thira Woratanarat from the Faculty of Medicine Chulalongkorn University posted the results of the survey on his Facebook page on Sunday.

The university's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine found that infected people have passed on the virus to their dogs and cats.

"The research was published on Friday after it had been found that three out of 35 dogs and one of nine cats contracted the virus from their infected owners. All the infected pets were asymptomatic, except for one dog with mild symptoms," the Facebook post read.

Dr Thira said the study emphasised the importance of how the Covid-19 virus can be transmitted from humans to pets.

Therefore, if there are signs of infection, the patient must isolate himself/herself not just from other family members but also from their pets, the doctor advised.

Thira added that there is currently a large number of daily new infections and the chance of human to animal transmission is higher than the first wave.

He also said transmission from animal to human "may not be a major factor" in the spread of the pandemic. But it is better to take precautions.