An Italian cat has reportedly been diagnosed with the British variant of COVID-19, in what is believed to be the first case of a feline contracting the strain.
The 8-year-old cat began to show respiratory symptoms about ten days after its owners quarantined his home in the northern province of Novara, west of Milan, because they became ill, according to ANSA news agency.
“This diagnosis and the identification of the British variant demonstrate that pandemic control and integrated management systems are effective and ready to respond,” said Angelo Ferrari, director of the Piedmont Animal Health Research Institute. Liguria and Aosta Valley.
According to the institute, the cat and its owners are on their way to recovery.
In the United States, nearly 100 companion dogs and cats have contracted COVID-19, mostly after close contact with an infected person, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on March 7.