Omicron found in deer: Previous cases of COVID in animals, impact on humans
In August, the US government said it found the world’s first cases of COVID-19 in wild deer in Ohio, expanding the list of animals known to have tested positive for the disease
White-tailed deer have been found to be carrying Covid-19 antibodies in New York. AP
The discovery of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in a white-tailed deer in New York has left scientists concerned that the deer species could become host of a new coronavirus variant.
According to Reuters, a lead researcher has found that 15 per cent of blood and nasal swab samples from 131 deers had COVID antibodies, suggesting that the animals had previously contracted coronavirus infections.
In August, the US government said it found the world’s first cases of COVID-19 in wild deer in Ohio, expanding the list of animals known to have tested positive for the disease.
The finding was based on samples collected from deer months before the heavily mutated variant Omicron emerged to replace the previously dominant Delta variant in people in countries around the world.
The USDA had previously reported COVID-19 in animals including dogs, cats, tigers, lions, snow leopards, otters, gorillas and minks.
Let’s look at previous cases of COVID in animals and if they can infect humans with the novel coronavirus:
Previous cases of COVID in animals
– On 18 January, Hong Kong authorities announced that they would kill about 2,000 small animals, including hamsters, after several tested positive for coronavirus at a pet store where an employee was also infected.
The Associated Press report stated that the city will also stop the sale of hamsters and the import of small mammals. The pet shop employee tested positive for the Delta variant on 17 January, and several hamsters imported from the Netherlands at the store tested positive as well.
– In June 2021, a nine-year-old lioness Neela died of COVID-19, and few other lions tested positive for the virus at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Tamil Nadu’s Chennai.
– A total of 28 elephants had also tested positive for COVID in Tamil Nadu’s Madhumalai forest reserve.
– In May 2021, two lionesses tested positive for COVID-19 at Etawah Safari Park in Uttar Pradesh and eight Asiatic lions housed in the Nehru Zoological Park (NZP) Hyderabad also tested positive for SARS-CoV2 virus in the same month.
– In April 2020, a tiger at New York’s Bronx Zoo had tested positive for COVID-19. It was believed to have contracted the virus from a caretaker at the zoo.
Can animals spread COVID-19?
The World Health Organisation said some animal species can be infected with the coronavirus, and animals can re-infect humans.
“That risk remains low but it is something that we are constantly looking at,” said the WHO’s Maria Van Kerkhove.
Of seven million virus sequences submitted to global platforms, around 1,500 are from animals.
According to the US’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread from people to animals through close contact. However, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is low.
Pets can get serious illness from infection with the virus, but it is extremely rare, it said.
With inputs from agencies
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