Pet COVID-19 Infection Confirmed in Gyeonggi Province for First Time in Gwangju, "Should We Be Worried?"

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] The Gyeonggi Province government urged residents to "be at ease" on the 23rd in response to the first confirmed COVID-19 case in a pet in the province, stating that "there have been no cases of transmission from pets to humans reported overseas either."

The pet in question is a dog owned by a confirmed COVID-19 patient residing in Gwangju City, Gyeonggi Province, who tested positive on February 15th. The dog showed some respiratory symptoms such as coughing at the time of testing.

Accordingly, the province collected samples from the dog on the 19th in accordance with "pet COVID-19 testing guidelines" and conducted a first test through the Gyeonggi Province Animal Disease Control Laboratory.

A positive result was returned in the first test conducted on the day samples were collected, and after a second test was conducted by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, the dog received final confirmation on the 20th.

The confirmed dog is currently isolated at home with the confirmed patient's family in accordance with "COVID-19 related pet management guidelines," and symptoms have improved.

According to the management guidelines, the dog is prohibited from going outside for 14 days from the date of confirmation, and whether to lift the quarantine is determined after the quarantine period ends or following a detailed test.

This is the first time a pet has tested positive for COVID-19 in the province.

Nationally, this is the fifth case following the first case in Jinju on the 24th of last month, followed by Seoul on the 14th of this month, and Sejong on the 18th.

However, since there have been no cases of transmission from pets to humans to date, the province explains there is no need for excessive concern if quarantine guidelines are thoroughly followed.

After a case of pet COVID-19 infection was confirmed in Hong Kong last year, the province established the nation's first "pet COVID-19 safety testing system" at the Gyeonggi Province Animal Disease Control Laboratory in September 2020 to alleviate residents' concerns, and has been operating a proactive testing system.

Test subjects are pets (dogs and cats) that have been exposed to confirmed COVID-19 patients and show suspected symptoms such as coughing, fever, shortness of breath, or vomiting.

In particular, the province is also providing a "temporary pet care service for confirmed COVID-19 patients" in cooperation with 31 cities and counties, where pets are temporarily cared for on behalf of confirmed patients.

Choi Gwon-rak, director of the Animal Disease Control Laboratory, stated "Please avoid excessive contact with pets, wash your hands thoroughly with water and soap before and after contact, and maintain a distance of more than 2 meters from other people and animals during walks—observing pet infection prevention rules in daily life. We recommend that pet owners whose family members have tested positive seek pet COVID-19 testing through their local quarantine department if their pet shows symptoms such as fever, coughing, or shortness of breath."