Coronavirus: dog of Hong Kong Covid-19 patient tests ‘weak positive’
- More tests will be conducted to see if the dog had really been infected with the virus or if it was just environmental contamination of its mouth and nose
- The World Health Organisation says there is no evidence that companion animals or pets can be infected with the coronavirus
The pet dog of a Hong Kong Covid-19 patient tested “weak positive” for the new coronavirus, the government announced on Friday.
The city’s Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said in a statement the dog had not shown any symptoms and there was no evidence to suggest that pets could contract the coronavirus or be a source of infection in people.
It said more tests would be conducted to confirm if the dog had really been infected or if this was a result of environmental contamination of its mouth and nose.
Oral, nasal and rectal samples were collected for testing.
According to the World Health Organisation, there is no evidence that companion animals or pets such as dogs or cats can contract Covid-19.
“However, it is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with pets,” it said on its website.