Coronavirus: People In China Are Being Asked To Have Their Pets Put Down To Lower Risk Of Contamination

Since the beginning of the year, the coronavirus has been spreading at high speed in China and around the world. There are now 425 deaths and more than 20,400 people infected.

The World Health Organisation is calling it a ‘health emergency of international concern.’

Having pets put down

To combat the spread of the virus in the most effective way possible, the Chinese government has therefore put in place a series of drastic measures. One of them is of particular interest to us.

Our colleagues at the DailyMailrevealed this new measure, and it is chilling: the Chinese authorities have reportedly ordered the inhabitants of the contaminated provinces in the Wuhan area to have all their pets put down in order to reduce the risk of contamination as much as possible.

According to recent studies by international experts, the contamination of humans by the virus is believed to have come from an animal source.

For its part, the WHO states that no expert has yet been able to prove that species such as cats or dogs can be contaminated by the virus.

In Wuhan, however, the authorities have banned residents from letting their cats, dogs and livestock leave their homes.

Local authorities have reportedly even threatened to eradicate stray animals.

A difficult start to the year for the animals; between these appalling measures and the appearance of cases of avian flu, a return to serenity is eagerly awaited.

For more details check out our video.