Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
What pet owners should know about COVID-19
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By Lee Hyo-jin
By Lee Hyo-jin
The coronavirus pandemic has affected people's lives, but now it seems that pets have come under the influence of the virus as well.
Following the country's first case of a cat testing positive for the virus in late January, concerns have been growing among pet owners here that their furry friends might also contract the virus.
The kitten that had contracted the virus was released, Wednesday, from an isolation facility at a pet care center in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. Found in a local religious facility with two other cats, it had tested positive for the virus on Jan. 21.
A kitten that tested positive for the coronavirus in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, Jan. 21 / Courtesy of Jinju City
Caretakers had been closely monitoring the animal's health condition under strict quarantine measures, wearing protective gear each time they came in contact with the kitten.
“The ill cat did not show particular symptoms other than diarrhea, and only a small amount of the virus was detected in an initial COVID-19 test,” a Jinju City official told The Korea Times.
Health authorities assumed that the cat got the virus from a woman and her daughter who had been taking care of it. Both of them had tested positive earlier.
But as only limited information is available to this date about transmissions between humans and animals, many pet owners are confused about how cautious they should be, and what measures they should take to keep their pets safe from the virus.
Although the current situation does not appear to be highly worrisome, experts advise that people living with pets should follow personal hygiene rules strictly in order to prevent animal infections.
“There have been some 70 cases of pet infections worldwide, which means that the virus has not fully adapted to animal species yet. And most have shown only mild symptoms. Many were asymptomatic and some had symptoms similar to the common cold, like fever and coughing,” said Kim Jae-hong, head of the Korean Institute for Veterinary Policy.
“However, if the virus continues to spread among animals, it is only a matter of time before it fully adapts to the host, evolving into a fatal disease for them, too,” Kim warned, saying that people should remain vigilant about the matter until the end of the pandemic.
He also stated that people won't need to worry too much about infected pets spreading the virus, as there have been no reports of pet-to-human transmissions to this date. Transmissions between animal species have only been seen among cats, according to Kim.
“Preventive measures such as isolating companion animals from confirmed patients should not be done out of fear, but with an aim of keeping both animals and humans safe from the spread of the virus,” he said.
As to whether pets should also wear face masks, the Korean Veterinary Medical Association said it is an unnecessary measure, considering the low possibility of transmissions through droplets between animals.
Instead, the association highlighted the importance of hygiene rules such as washing hands before touching animals and keeping the pets' fur and feet clean.
Also, the susceptibility to COVID-19 varies by species, and people who own cats may have to be a little more cautious than dog owners. Cats and hamsters were found to be more susceptible to infection than dogs, according to a report by the World Organization for Animal Health.
The organization warned that such animals that are in close contact with humans on a daily basis should be monitored more closely, because the introduction of the virus to a new species may accelerate the virus' evolution.
In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, in cooperation with health authorities, announced a set of guidelines for pet owners to follow and in case they test positive for the virus.
Pet owners are advised to keep a 2-meter distance with other people or pets while taking the animals on walks. Also, people showing COVID-19 symptoms should avoid physical contact with their pets, such as hugging, petting, kissing, and sharing food.
If an owner is confirmed to have been infected by the virus, dogs and cats showing coronavirus-like symptoms, including fever, coughing, breathing difficulties, vomiting and diarrhea, should be tested after consulting local health center officials.
If an animal tests positive, it will be placed under a 14-day mandatory self-isolation under the care of a family member who has not contracted the virus.
For those who are not available to care for their pets when they are away for treatment, local governments, including those of Gyeonggi Province, Incheon, and Daejeon, are offering paid pet care services.