This week we learned of the first two cases of COVID-19 confirmed in domestic cats here in the U.S. Dr. Paul Lunn, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State, helps us understand this virus as it relates to animals.
I'LL BRING THAT TO YOU. CASEY CUNNINGHAM IN RALEIGH. >>> WE LEARNED OF THE FIRST TWO CASES OF COVID-19 IN DOMESTIC CATS IN THE U.S. BOTH WERE IN NEW YORK STATE. SO WE WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS RELATES TO US. THIS IS THE DEAN OF THE NC STATE VET SCHOOL. THE LAST TIME WE TALKED, TWO TIGERS AT THE BRONX ZOO TESTED POSITIVE AND NOW WE HAVE TWO CATS TESTING POSITIVE. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THIS DISEASE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ANIMALS? LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SCIENCE ABOUT IT FOR A MINUTE. >> THANK YOU. I FRESH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN. I THINK WE PROBABLY COULD HAVE ANTICIPATED THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN GIVEN THE SCALE OF THIS EPIDEMIC AROUND THE WORLD. WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE 2.8 MILLION PEOPLE INFECTED GLOBALLY, A THIRD OF THEM IN THE UNITED STATES. AND ANIMALS ARE GETTING EXPOSED. CATS IN PARTICULAR MAY HAVE A SLIGHT SUSEPTIBILITY TO THE CONDITION. AND NOW FOLLOWING ON FROM THE LION AND TIGERS IN NEW YORK. AND NOW WE HAVE TWO CATS WITH A MILD FORM OF THE DISEASE AND TESTED POSITIVE. WHAT THIS MEANS, I THINK, IS THAT OUR SUSPICIONS ARE CORRECT, AND THAT THE PRECAUTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ADVISING PEOPLE TO TAKE AROUND ANIMALS REMAIN APPROPRIATE AND THE RIGHT THING FOR EVERYONE. >> SHOULD PET OWNERS PEOPLE THAT OWN CATS, MANY OF THEM ARE MUCH WATCHING THIS MORNING. HOW CONCERNED SHOULD THEY BE? >> I DON'T THINK THEY NEED TO BE ENORM ENORMOUSLY CONCERNED. THEY JUST NEED TO TAKE SENSIBLE PRECAUTIONS. IT IS BEST TO KNOW WHERE WERE PETS ARE, SAFE IN THE HOUSE AND UNDER SOME KIND OF CONTROL SO THEY'RE NOT MIXING WITH OTHER ANIMALS OR PEOPLE. IF YOU HAVE A PERSON IN THE HOUSE WITH COVID-19, THAT PERSON SHOULD NOT BE HANDLING OR FEEDING THE ANIMALS IF SOMEONE ELSE CAN DO IT. IF YOU'RE THE ONLY OWNER OF THE PET, WEAR A MASK. WEAR GLOVES. WASH YOUR HANDS A LOT WHEN YOU FEED IT AND DON'T HANDLE IT TILL THE RISK IS GONE. AND WE SHOULD BE FINE OF THIS. THE RISK OF ANIMALS TO US IS VERY LOW. WE HAVE NOT DETECTED A SINGLE CASE OF SPREAD TO A PERSON FROM AN ANIMAL, EVEN A CAT. WE HAVE SEEN CASES WHERE THE VIRUS IS SPREAD FROM US TO OUR PETS. IT IS STILL VERY RARE. I THINK WE CAN MANAGE THIS RISK SAFELY. >> WE APPRECIATE IT. I SEE YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY SOME OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS THERE. >> YES. I HAVE A FEW BUDDIES WITH ME. I THOUGHT I WOULD BRING ALONG MY DONKEY, MY CLOSEST ADVISOR. >> WE APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHT THIS MORNING. >> WE APPRECIATE YOUR INTERESTING IN THIS ISSUE.
