Can your pets catch coronavirus?

Coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illness ranging from common cold to more sever diseases such as MERS-cov and SARS-cov.
A novel coronavirus or covid-19 is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans (source WHO)

But coronavirus is zoonotic that is they can be transmitted between animals and humans


So can coronavirus be transmitted to your pet?

Well up till now Some cases of animals have been reported

A four years old malayan tiger at the bronox zoo was tested positive for the coronavirus the tiger named naida is believed to be the first known case of an animal infected by this virus 
The cat, started showing symptoms like dry cough,late last month after exposure to a employee (source BBC news)

In February a pet dog in Hong Kong tested ‘weak positive‘ for coronavirus and was placed into quarantine.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) in Hong Kong confirmed that repeated tests suggested the dog had a “low-level” of the virus and that it was likely to be the case of human-to-animal transmission.

On 13 March the World Health Organisation said "at present there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus".

Several global health organisations have issued advisories saying there is no any evidence that pet animals can spread coronavirus or indeed be infected with it in the same way as humans.

“Therefore, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals which may compromise their welfare,” the World Organisation for Animal Health has said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concurred that “there is no reason to think that any animals including pets in the United States might be a source of infection with this new coronavirus”.

Should I change my behaviour with my pet?

The World Health Organisation says: "It is always a good idea to wash your hands with soap and water after contact with your pets

  To protect yourself from catching coronavirus, the WHO advises the following:

• Cover your mouth and nose while sneezing, with a tissue or your elbow
• Put the tissue straight into a closed bin
• Wash your hands afterwards, and then frequently, with soap or sanitiser
• Keep your distance from people who are coughing and sneezing (at least one metre) [[Updated UK government advice also says people should stay at home and practice social distancing]. 

For more information on coronavirus from WHO you can click Here