Humans don’t get Covid-19 from pets, assure vets

There was no evidence that Covid-19 was transmitted from domestic animals to humans, Sri Lanka Veterinarians’ Association (SLVA) yesterday said.

Chairman of the SLVA Dr. Urandika Gunawardena told the media that rumours were being circulated about the possibility of coronavirus jumping from domestic animals to humans. “Since it was revealed that a lion at the Dehiwala Zoological Garden had contracted COVID-19, it has been claimed that people might contract the disease from domestic animals, but the World Veterinary Association (WVA) had already confirmed that Covid-19 did not transmit from domestic animals to humans.”

“Tests to determine what has happened at the Dehiwala Zoo are being conducted under the supervision of Prof. Dilan Satharasinghe of the Department of Molecular and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

“I would like to tell people that there is no evidence, anywhere in the world, that the virus jumps from pets to humans.

“But animals can contract the disease from humans. Dr. Gunawardena said that if people mistaken believed that they could catch coronavirus from their pets, they would start abandoning animals on the roads. A similar situation has happened in India, where many animals have starved to death. “We must not allow misinformation to spread. This could cause serious harm and a lot of animals might suffer because of fake news.”