London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 08, 2025

Low-level infection of dog sparks new concerns

Low-level infection of dog sparks new concerns

The canine belongs to a wealthy Hong Kong businesswoman who was infected with the coronavirus
Microbiologists and infectious disease experts in Hong Kong are running tests on the serum of a Pomeranian after it was found to have a low level of infection with the Covid-19 virus.

It was likely the dog was infected by a human at home and it has been the first case in the world that a dog was infected with the Covid-19 virus, Thomas Sit Hon-chung, Assistant Director (Inspection & Quarantine) at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), said in a media briefing on Thursday.

The dog has been under quarantine at the animal keeping facility at the Hong Kong Port of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge from February 26 after its owner, a 60-year-old woman surnamed Chow, was identified as the 85th infected person in the city a day earlier.

The woman, who lived at Block 4, Swiss Towers, at 113 Tai Hang Road, Tai Hang, was said to be a wealthy businesswoman and a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Her Filipino domestic worker and elder brother and his wife were also infected with the coronavirus.

Read: More cases in Hong Kong from two infection chains

The AFCD first collected samples from the dog for tests on February 26, and detected low levels of the Covid-19 virus from its nasal and oral cavity samples on February 27. The department repeated the test on February 28 and March 2, and the dog’s nasal and oral cavity samples, and nasal samples, respectively, tested “weak positive” for the virus.

Experts from the School of Public Health at The University of Hong Kong, the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences of the City University of Hong Kong and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have been consulted, and unanimously agreed that these results suggest the dog has a low-level of infection and it is likely to be a case of human-to-animal transmission.

The dog, which has not shown any signs of illness related to Covid-19, was not only “contaminated” but “infected” as its nasal samples had repeatedly tested positive for the coronavirus for six days, Sit said.

“The coronavirus could not have stayed on the mouth and nose of the dog for many days if it was not coming out from its body,” Sit said.

Ho Pak-leung, head of the University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Infection, said Thursday that as Covid-19 can be transmitted between humans, it is likely it can be transmitted from humans to other mammals. However, Ho said there has not been any evidence showing that dog-to-human or cat-to-human transmission is possible.

“People should stay calm. In the 2003 SARS outbreak, samples from eight cats and one dog tested positive, but these cases did not result in any outbreak among animals at that time,” Ho said.

On Tuesday, the dog’s blood samples were taken for an antibody test, which will take five to seven days to complete and show how the animal’s body reacted to the virus. Microbiologists have already finished 80% of the genome sequence process for the dog’s virus and will compare it with that of the coronavirus found in humans to figure out whether genetic mutation had happened, Sit said.

Scientists will also run tests on the dog’s virus on animal cells, particularly respiratory tract cells. There is no registered drug that can cure the infected dog, but hopefully it has already generated some antibodies to fight the virus, he said.

There has not been any information or cases in the world to prove the Covid-19 virus can be transmitted from dog to human, he added. The dog will be returned to its owner only if its samples show negative results in two virus tests.

The Hong Kong government has reported the case to the World Organisation for Animal Health.

The AFCD reminded pet owners to adopt good hygiene practices, including handwashing before and after being around or handling animals, their food, or supplies, as well as avoiding kissing them, and to maintain a clean and hygienic household environment. It said dogs are not required to put on masks as they have to use their tongues to control their body temperature.

However, the AFCD said pet owners need not be overly concerned and under no circumstances should they abandon their pets.

The Hong Kong branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals also called on pet owners not to dispose of their pets as there has not been any evidence showing that pet-to-human transmission is possible.

It said the infected dog has so far remained healthy in the quarantine facility. It added that the public should understand that “being infected” is different from being “contagious.”

It also said pet owners who feel ill should stop having close contact with pets.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
×