For the first time since the start of the pandemic, a cat has infected a human being with COVID-19.
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According to a study by the Prince of Songkla University in Thailand, a veterinarian was contaminated by a cat during an examination.
All the veterinarians at the clinic who had contact with the animal were wearing the necessary equipment, namely N95 masks, gloves and protective glasses.
Three days following the exam, one of the doctors started having symptoms.
It would appear that the owners of the animal were positive for COVID-19 before the appointment. However, they would not have had any contact with the specialist; moreover, they would have respected the isolation measures to avoid transmitting the virus.
For the moment, the hypothesis of the cat which would have transmitted the virus by sneezing near the face of the veterinarian is the most probable.
The study confirms that cats can transmit the virus to humans, but this is extremely rare. The opposite has, however, been observed on several occasions since the spring of 2020.
