Coronavirus And Dogs: German Shepherd Tests Positive In Likely Case Of Human-To-Canine Transmission

Hong Kong’s animal welfare authority confirmed Thursday that a second dog has tested positive for coronavirus.

According to local reports, the two-year-old German shepherd’s oral and nasal samples returned positive following which it was sent to quarantine Wednesday. This was a likely case of human-to-animal transmission as the canine’s 30-year-old owner was also infected. Another dog, a mixed breed, that belonged to the same owner was also quarantined in the same government facility but the canine’s readings were negative.

An Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) spokesman said that the department would “closely monitor both dogs and conduct repeated tests on the animals.”

The incident comes days after an elderly dog, the first known canine to test positive for the deadly virus, died in Hong Kong. The 17-year-old Pomeranian was sent to quarantine in Feb.26 after “low levels “of the virus was found in its nasal and oral cavity swabs. Tests carried out on March 12 and 13 proved that the canine’s samples were negative following which it returned home March 14. The dog died two days later.

Professor Malik Peiris, a leading public health virologist at the University of Hong Kong, said, “It is very likely that the two positive cases [in Hong Kong] are examples of human-to-dog transmission. We will also follow up on the mixed-breed dog, but it has tested negative.”

Apart from the two dogs, four cats were under quarantine. These animals were isolated in separate rooms and nobody was allowed to visit them.