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A PET CAT has fallen ill with coronavirus in the UK after apparently catching Covid-19 from its owners.
The infection was confirmed following tests at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) laboratory in Weybridge, Surrey, on 22 July.
Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England (PHE), said: “This is the first case of a domestic cat testing positive for Covid-19 in the UK but should not be a cause for alarm.
“The investigation into this case suggests that the infection was spread from humans to animal, and not the other way round.
At this time, there is no evidence that pets can transmit the disease to humans.
“In line with the general advice on fighting coronavirus, you should wash your hands regularly, including before and after contact with animals.”
A private vet initially diagnosed the pet with feline herpes virus, a common cat respiratory infection, but the sample was also tested for Covid-19 part of a research programme.
The case has been reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health in line with international agreements.
‘A very rare event’
There have been a small number of confirmed cases in pets in other countries in Europe, North America and Asia.
The UK’s chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss, said: “Tests conducted by the Animal and Plant Health Agency have confirmed that the virus responsible for Covid-19 has been detected in a pet cat in England.
“This is a very rare event, with infected animals detected to date only showing mild clinical signs and recovering within a few days. There is no evidence to suggest that pets directly transmit the virus to humans.
“We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will update our guidance to pet owners should the situation change.”
‘Full recovery’
A team of scientists at the University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research are behind the programme to screen hundreds of samples for Covid-19 infections in the UK cat population.
Researchers at the CVR have now completed a full genome sequencing of the virus found in the infected cat.
Professor Margaret Hosie, who works on the project, said: “There have been sporadic reports of cats from Covid-19 households in Hong Kong, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the US that tested positive for (coronavirus) and were presumed to be infected from their owners, but this is the first report of an infected cat in the UK.
“All available evidence suggests that the cat was infected from its owners, who had previously tested positive.
“The cat and its owners have since made a full recovery and there was no transmission of the virus to other animals or people in the household.”
Professor William Weir of the University of Glasgow’s School of Veterinary Medicine, said: “The factors that govern why one species is susceptible to the Covid-19 virus while others are more resistant are currently unknown, but will likely reveal more about how this virus spreads and causes disease.
“At present, there is no evidence that cats, dogs or other domestic animals play any role in the epidemiology of human infections with (Covid-19).”
He said cats and dogs with reported infections usually recover and there has been no evidence of transmission occurring between cats or dogs.
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His self pitying performance, admittedly under severe pressure, has done him no favours.
Agreed, but on the other side, i don’t believe Gerrie Nel’s badgering of the witness done the state any favours
did anybody ever wonder why intruders would break into your house through a bathroom window then lock themselves in !
By no means am I defending him, but Crime in South Africa is so common place that most South Africans live in constant fear. Reeva & Oscar are also famous, so I’m sure they were also always on the look out for people wanting stork them, maybe steal from them. If thief broke in through a bathroom window, who knows what they will do!
Does this give him the excuse to kill somebody……
Not at all, but if you go research the crime statistics in South Africa, you will find that families are being murdered for a couple of possessions.
@stanley. Would the people who have private security in their neighbourhood live in constant fear or just the middle classes
Yes!! Everybody does…… Maybe not Jacob Zuma
Yes m’lady
Class :)
Thits incorrict m’lady
Gizmo you’re getting awful abuse in the Justin bieber story. If u need back up you know where I am buddy. We could take them!!
I’ll have a look Saul!
He’s being shown up for what he truly is a control freak with a temper (roid rage? Found lots of steroids in his place )had access to a gun and a history of incidents with guns and the most ridiculous story which doesn’t add up or make any sense.He murdered his girlfriend and is nothing more than a deranged little coward who is turning this trial into a farce with his theatrics and crocodile tears.
Does anyone actually believe his bullshit story? If so why?
Thank god, listening to him was painful.
Change the channel then, or go do something constructive
It’s on the radio in work you moron.
Try a different station……. One with lovely soft music to calm yourself down…… It sounds like you need it
How come we’re allowed to comment on the trial all of a sudden?
It’s trial by media. We have a role to play. I say murder in the first, my lady
It was the gun’s fault it pulled on his finger……
Im not saying he didn’t do it but innocent/guilty proven etc..
Google PTSD there.. its not exclusive to people who are coming back from warzones..
“The relentless Gerrie Nel – also known as the Pitbull”
Every other reference I’ve heard/read has been he’s known as the “Bulldog”………..
Whatever…
just lock him up already…he’s as guilty as sin…
This is a man who in spite of his disability likes to be in control and cannot allow love to get in the way as it shows up a weakness in his shield. It is a pity that his girlfriend could not recognise this.
In spite of his disability likes to be in control?? What are you trying to say here. This has nothing to do with a disability
Whatsda Pistorious (that’s the new way I answer the phone to my buddies) it could catch on!!
you don’t have many ‘buddies’ i take it.
Cowboy
I’m absolutely stunned when I look at the comment in articles related to this trial. Most of the comments are from people who have already decided he was guilty. The trial is nothing more than paper work to these people.
I don’t know whether he is guilty or not, but this certainly isn’t as clear cut as some people are trying to make out.
totally agree, and if it was her that shot him those same people would be calling for her release immediately.
I think what happened was ~ they were having an enormous row… she tried to get away from him because he is a proven lunatic!! She wouldn’t come out of the bathroom and he blasted shots through the door thinking she was at the toilet and she wasnt she was behind the door and he killed her!!
Erm even is she was sitting on the toilet the shots would have hit her(in the head imo)or at least the ricochet would. The toilet cubicle is tiny btw.
Have you seen the layout of the bathroom??????
Hasnt a leg to stand on in my view
so you haven’t heard that ,,,ahem, joke since last February ?
Why would she lock the bathroom door in the middle of the night when it was just herself and her boyfriend in the house??
A valentines card????
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Please dont shoot
Its me on the loo
I think I must be the only person in the world following this trial that has a certain amount of empathy for Oscar Pistorius.
In saying that, I don’t believe his version of events as I fully believe he knew it was Reeva Steenkamp that was in the bathroom, but at the same time I don’t think it was a pre-meditated, ruthless, cold-blooded murder as the prosecution are attempting to make it out to be.
This is my humble opinion of how I think events unfolded …
I believe they were a couple very much in love and had a very passionate relationship. And with a passionate relationship comes very intense and explosive rows. I think it started off as a verbal arguement that quickly gathered momentum. It was getting very heated and both were relentless and everyone knows that there’s no-one better at pressing your buttons than your very own partner. I think he snapped and grabbed his gun – not ever intending to use it – but just wanted to scare her. She then ran into the bathroom away from him – but at the same time not believing he’d ever fire at her either. But as the row raged on through the door, in a split-second of pure madness and frustration with her he found himself pulling on the trigger. I believe he was instantly horrified and distraught at what he had just done.
He then panicked and lied about what happened and has been continuing that lie ever since. He has now found himself in a situation he can’t get out of.
I think all the grief and emotion he showed on the stand is genuine because he did truely love her and is still in disbelief at what he did.
While I do feel sorry for him because I feel he accidently lost the woman he loves by his own hand, he does absolutely deserve to be punished for his crime, because no matter how it happened, the girl is dead because of him.
He should have told the truth from the start and pleaded manslaughter.
In any case, the whole chain of events is such a sad tragedy for all involved.
Would anyone else agree with that possible scenario … or not?
Totally agree!
Agree 100% but I don’t have any empathy for him, I understand your other half can push your buttons like no one else and in a fit of rage you can loose the head i understand that. But it takes a fair bit of presence of mind to go pick up a gun & open fire it don’t care how passionate your relationship is
Yes I agree with that. I accept that being totally wound up in the midst of a blazing row is no excuse for pulling a gun on some-one – let alone use it which is why he deserves to be tried and punished for it. But I imagine that it is a very fine line that you step over to reach that presence of mind and I believe in his case it was only for a very brief split second.
I also think when you are around firearms as much as he is and you become very comfortable holding them and using them at firing ranges etc – you lose perspective of how lethal they are and lose the sense of danger surrounding them. And I feel his attitude to holding such a powerful weapon was just way too laid-back with devastating results.
Could they not use a lie detector test and the trial would be over in one day.How can you convict him without reasonable doubt when only 2 people are direct witness and only one survives.
Pristorious has NOT a leg to stand on!
and again,,,,,so you haven’t heard that ,,,ahem, joke since last February ?
This particular judge will charge him with murder, I’ve no doubt about that.
have your say