Can pets catch Covid-19? Hong Kong’s City University begins testing animals for coronavirus amid owners’ concerns

Name: Pets’ best Covid-19 defence is when owners protect themselves, says animal health expert
Uploaded: 2020-08-02T02:30:07.000Z
Duration: 4 min 29 s
Description: Pets’ best Covid-19 defence is when owners protect themselves, says animal health expert

The best way to protect pets is for owners to stay safe and avoid infection, veterinary school dean says

More than 1,300 applicants for 30 places at vet school, which aims to be among top 20 worldwide

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With Covid-19 cases surging, more and more Hong Kong pet owners are seeking out testing for the animals under their case. Photo: Shutterstock

Victor TingandChan Ho-him

Published: 10:30am, 2 Aug 2020Updated: 9:29pm, 5 Aug 2020

City University of Hong Kong is offering Covid-19 testing for animals, as a rising number of pet owners have been caught up in the city’s worsening outbreak.

Its veterinary diagnostic laboratory began a pilot testing scheme last Monday, with samples being collected by local veterinarians. These are the same Covid-19 tests used for humans, said Professor Nikolaus Osterrieder, the new dean of CityU’s college of veterinary medicine and life sciences.

The surge in human infections in July has seen the number of confirmed cases in Hong Kong rise to 3,396, with 33 deaths.

The city’s third wave of infections has resulted in more animal owners, especially those who contracted Covid-19 or were close contacts of the infected, sending their pets for testing.

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Pets’ best Covid-19 defence is when owners protect themselves, says animal health expert

So far, two dogs and four cats have tested positive for the coronavirus.