Pet dog in Hong Kong tests positive for coronavirus

By Violet Matakibau

29/02/2020

Dogs wearing masks in a stroller in Shanghai on February 19, 2020. [Photo:CNBC]

This one is far from good news for animal lovers with reports out of Hong Kong saying a pet dog returned a weak positive for COVID-19. The Hong Kong Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation confirmed this news in a statement.

The department says that it received a referral from the Department of Health on February 26 that the dog, belonging to a patient infected with COVID-19, would be handed over to it. It picked up the dog from a residential flat in Tai Hang, near Causeway Bay. Nasal and oral cavity samples from the dog tested weak positive.

There is currently no evidence pet animals can be a source of infection to people.

The department will closely monitor the dog and collect further samples to confirm if the dog has really been infected with the virus or if this is a result of environmental contamination of its mouth and nose. Repeated tests will be conducted and the dog will only be returned when the test result is negative.

[Source:ABCNews]