It is known that humans can transmit the coronavirus to their pets.
Now a cat is said to have infected a woman in Thailand with the virus.
Songkhla (Thailand) – Corona regulations are gradually being relaxed around the world, but many people are still infected with the corona virus.
Several cases have shown that pets can also contract the virus from their owners.
Conversely, it was not yet known - until now.
Because now, in a study, the transmission from a cat to humans has been proven for the very first time.
Cat infects woman with Corona – the first case in the world in Thailand
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In Thailand, a cat infected a woman with Corona.
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© Silas Stein/Imago
The case happened in August 2021. The owners of the cat had to be taken to Songkhla by ambulance because of a corona infection because there were no more hospital beds in their hometown of Bangkok.
They take the cat, who also tested positive for the virus, because they have no one to check on her.
Arriving in Songkhla, a vet examines the cat and is sneezed on by the animal.
A few days later, she too is infected with the virus.
Cat infects woman with Corona – at first nobody believes it
Nevertheless, the veterinarian initially considers it unlikely that the cat was infected.
Because a transmission of the virus from pets to humans was not yet known.
In addition, the veterinarian wore gloves and a mask during the treatment.
However, since she had no contact with the cat's owners or anyone in her environment with Covid-19 at that time, this supports the theory that she actually contracted the cat.
Cat infects woman with corona – study proves transmission
Researchers at Prince of Songkhla University are investigating the case and have now published a study documenting cat-to-vet transmission.
In a genome sequencing, the scientists finally found out that the viruses found in the cat, its owners and the veterinarian are very closely related.
There was no contact with the owners, only the possibility of transmission through the cat remains.
Incidentally, experts also warn that transmission of monkeypox from humans to cats is possible.
Cat infects woman with Corona – but no reason to worry
Because this virus variant was not very common in the region at the time, the researchers see a high probability that the cat actually transmitted the virus to the veterinarian.
However, scientists see no reason to worry because of the case, because the virus is transmitted significantly more frequently from humans to cats than vice versa.
Owners who have tested positive should therefore keep their distance from their pets as much as possible or isolate animals until they are negative again.
List of rubrics: © Silas Stein/Imago
