While it was earlier understood that pets cannot get coronavirus, it now turns out that one dog from Hong Kong has been infected by coronavirus. He has been put on quarantine and that also puts the other pets of Hong Kong under the scanner. Other coronavirus-infected pets will be quarantined as well. The infected dog is already in isolation. Coronavirus aka COVID-19 cases are only increasing and now governments are quarantining pets over the outbreak and were prompted by a positive test in the pet of an infected patient. Coronavirus Outbreak: 'Hidden' Animal Spreading Deadly Chinese SARS Virus, Says Lancet Study.

However, the pet has said to be tested "weak positive", however, put into quarantine for 14 days as a precaution. He is said to have no "relevant symptoms".  WHO confirmed that a dog in Hong Kong has tested "weakly positive" for COVID-19. Hong Kong scientists aren’t sure if the dog is actually infected or if it picked up the virus from a contaminated surface. However, for testings swabs of its nasal and oral cavities tested "positive." COVID-19 virus has killed at least 2,859 humans across the world over the last two months, according to World Health Organization officials.  Coronavirus Crisis: Pet-Owners Rush to Purchase Dog Face Masks amid Outbreak; Demand Increases Ten-Fold Since the Outbreak.

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove who is the technical lead of WHO’s emergencies program, said the canine tested “weakly positive,” means that low levels of the virus were found. "We’re working with them to understand the results, to understand what further testing they are doing and to understand how they are going to care for these animals,” Kerkhove said during a press conference at WHO’s headquarters in Geneva. "Nasal and oral cavity samples tested weak positive for COVID-19." Coronavirus Can Go Undetected in Healthy People Without Symptoms, Says Lancet Study; Case of 10-Year-Old Wuhan Boy Validates Claim.

He said it was unclear whether the dog had actually contracted the virus or tested positive for low levels due to environmental contamination of the dog's mouth and nose. The animal was collected from the owner's home on Wednesday after the 60-year-old woman was diagnosed with the contagion and placed in a hospital isolation ward. Coronavirus Outbreak: Conspiracy Theories Floating on Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp About Deadly Virus Spread.

It would be closely monitored, undergo further tests and held in quarantine until it returned a negative result, authorities said. As a precaution, the Hong Kong government said it would quarantine all cats, dogs and other domesticated animals in a holding facility if their owners test positive and were quarantined for COVID-19.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 01, 2020 03:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).