“Our colleagues from the veterinary faculty in Liege found that a cat contracted COVID-19 after the infection was transmitted by its owner. The infection has been confirmed and symptoms are present,” Emmanuel Andre, a member of the reference laboratory based in the city of Leuven, said at a press conference.
Andre emphasized that this was an individual case and may not be a common occurrence.
Nevertheless, Belgian officials are working to develop preventive measures for pet owners, particularly those who test positive for COVID-19, Andre stated.
Belgian public health officials on Friday confirmed that 1,049 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the preceding 24 hours, raising the overall number of confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak to 7,284. A total of 289 people in Belgium have died after contracting the disease.
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