Hong Kong will euthanize almost 2,000 hamsters infected with covid-19 in a pet store

Hong Kong ordered to kill about 2,000 hamsters after they tested positive for covid-19, after importing from 11 rodents from the Netherlands to a pet store, local broadcaster RTHK reported.

“The evidence shows that hamsters are infected with the covid virus-19. It is impossible to quarantine and observe each one of them and their incubation period could be long,” said Leung Siu-fai, director of the Hong Kong Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation.

Pet stores and owners have been instructed to hand over their hamsters, which must be euthanized “humanely” to “cut the transmission switch” of the disease.

Those who have pets are also urged to be careful when handling their animals.

“Pet owners should maintain good hygiene practices, including washing hands after touching animals, handling their food or other items, and avoiding kissing animals,” Leung said. to journalists.

Hamster buyers were instructed to deliver the pets. (Photo: Lucas Pezeta/Pexels)

The cases were traced to the Little Boss Pet Store, where an employee of 23 years around the same time also tested positive, the Washington Post reported.

Health authorities are investigating the case as a possible situation of animal-to-human transmission, the newspaper reported. Two additional human infections, one confirmed and one preliminary positive, have also been linked to the pet store.

The infected rodents were among two groups that arrived in Hong Kong on 22 of December and the 7 January, the newspaper reported.

Hamster buyers after 22 of December were instructed to hand over the pets to the authorities; the outbreak resulted in mandatory quarantines for some 150 clients, authorities said.

Thomas Sit, a veterinarian and deputy director of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, said that the authorities did not want to kill all the hamsters, but that killing them was necessary.

“You must realize that hamsters already infected they are excreting the virus. They can infect other animals, other hamsters and humans,” Sit said, reported the Washington Post.

“We have to protect public health and we have no choice,” he added.

Animal rights groups, however, were quick to denounce the government’s decision.

The local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said in a Facebook statement that it was “shocked and concerned” by the announcement, “which did not take into account animal welfare and the links between humans and animals”.

Sophia Chan, representative of a group out of concern for the hamsters, he told the local newspaper Standard that he has received dozens of calls from hamster owners since the announcement, according to the Washington Post.