Hong Kong’s authorities suspended importing of all small pets and ordered pet stores and zo-shops to transfer about two thousand hamsters for euthanasia due to evidence confirming the possible transfer of COVID-19 from rodents to a person. This is reported by South China Morning POST.
Officials decided to destroy animals after the discovery of 11 positive samples taken from hamsters, and a report on two cases of infection, presumably associated with a large pet shop with more than ten branches throughout Hong Kong. Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Nature Protection Dr. Leung Siouf announced that all owners who bought hamsters from December 22 will have to pass their pets back for testing before possible onset.
“We estimated the risks associated with these parties. They are relatively high. We urge all domestic owners to observe strict hygiene when contacting their pets and cells. Do not kiss and do not throw them out on the street,” he said.
It is believed that the Grozunov batch brought from the Netherlands was infected with the same type of coronavirus, which was also found from the employee of the pet shop. “The sequencing of the genome [Executive Virus sample] showed that the type of genome was the one that circulates in Europe and Pakistan,” said the newspaper.
“That’s why it is very likely that this time the transfer comes from animals to people,” he concluded.
In November 2020, in Denmark, they decided to destroy all 17 million minks on beversers to prevent the spread of mutating coronavirus. These animals discovered an infection that applies to people and contributes to the weakening of the ability to form an antibody. Denmark’s authorities have allocated $ 3.1 billion on compensation from the beverserm after the murder of millions of mink.