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Can animals carry COVID, and can they infect people?

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Thursday, 02 July, 2020, 18:15
Can animals carry COVID, and can they infect people?

The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through human-to-human transmission, but there is evidence of transmission at the human-animal interface.
Several animals (mink, dogs, domestic cats and tigers) in contact with infected humans have tested positive for COVID-19;

We are aware of reports from mink farms in Denmark and the Netherlands, where minks have been infected by farm workers. In a few instances, the minks that were infected by humans have transmitted the virus to other people. These are the first reported cases of animal-to-human transmission;
We are still looking at other animal species. It is important to understand which animal species are most susceptible to the virus to find other potential animal reservoirs and avoid repeating outbreaks in the future;

It is still recommended that people who are sick with COVID-19 and people who are at risk limit contact with companions and other animals;

Photo Credits: Lilit Dadikyan