Azerbaijan to study COVID-19 spread among animals

The Food Security Institute of Azerbaijan has begun studying the spread of COVID-19 among domestic animals, including dogs and cats.

Report informs, citing the Institute, that this project is of great scientific importance in identifying the causes of the spread of the pathogen COVID-19 among animals.

During the study, samples were taken from animals in close contact with people who tested positive for coronavirus or showed SARS symptoms (fever, runny nose, cough, sneezing, pneumonia, and others).

Samples are collected from dogs and cats examined in veterinary clinics located in Baku and the Absheron region and those kept in animal shelters.

SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the disease COVID-19, is a zoonotic and highly pathogenic virus from the coronavirus family that is considered dangerous to humans and animals. Cases of animal infection with COVID-19 have already been reported in various countries around the world. According to scientific research, one of the main reasons for the spread of COVID-19 disease among animals, especially dogs and cats, is close contact with infected people.