Two sick cats in the United States

Two cats fell ill from Covid-19 in New York. While several animal infections have been reported, there is still no scientific evidence that they are vectors of the epidemic.
Two cats were sick with coronavirus in New York (United States), said on April 22, 2020 the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), for which they are the first two pets officially affected by Covid-19 in the country. But there is still no evidence that animals are vectors of the epidemic in humans.

Several cases in the world
The two animals suffered from respiratory problems but the veterinarians who examined them expect a full recovery announced the CDC, national authority in a matter of public health. 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 was 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 a press release issued on March 24, 2020, the Academy of Medicine which brings together doctors and veterinarians, recalled that "two dogs have been tested positive" in Hong Kong, whose owner had the Covid-19. Note, however, that the first dog had a "very low viral load" and that the following tests were "negative". They had no clinical signs. Then, the Belgian Federal Public Health Service explained at a press conference on March 27 that veterinarians from the Liège Faculty of Veterinary Medicine had been able to demonstrate that the cat of a person affected by the coronavirus had been infected by its owner and had developed symptoms.

Keep cats indoors as a precaution
This type of transmission would be from "Man to animal and not from animal to Man", underlined Emmanuel André, virologist, and inter-federal spokesperson Covid-19. This extremely rare phenomenon would require daily contact. "Today there is no reason to think that animals can be vectors of the epidemic," said the Belgian virologist. Researchers and health authorities, therefore, agree that there is no evidence to date 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 out of their homes. 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.

In a press release issued on March 24, 2020, the Academy of Medicine which brings together doctors and veterinarians, relayed identical recommendations. She noted that "wash your hands frequently when you take care of the animal (litter, walk, feed, etc.), especially if it has been petted, and you should not let it lick its face". Measures to be adopted at all times but rarely followed by the owners. She also recommended, to separate the owner of Covid-19 from his pet during the period when the patient may be shedding the virus". "In a home where a sick person has Covid-19, the risk for people living under the same roof is much more linked to contact with this sick person than with the pet" and "the pet is much more a friend than a danger, "she said.
Prevention is better than cure, all you need to stay alert, stay at home and follow the guidelines airing on media, print media,social media.