It is true that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been found in a variety of animals. However, it is important to note that the vast majority of cases of COVID-19 have occurred in humans. The World Health Organization has reported that the majority of cases of COVID-19 are believed to be the result of human-to-human transmission.
The virus was first identified in humans in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It is believed to have originated in bats and then crossed over to humans, likely through an intermediate host such as a pangolin. This is similar to how other coronaviruses, such as SARS and MERS, have also been known to jump from animals to humans.
However, it should be noted that animals such as bats, pangolins, and even cats have been reported to have SARS-CoV-2 in their body without showing any symptoms, indicating that the virus may have been circulating in the animal population without being noticed or was not pathogenic to animals.
Since the start of the pandemic, a number of other animals have also been found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. These include dogs, cats, lions, tigers, minks, ferrets, and even non-human primates like macaques. However, most of these cases appear to be the result of human contact, either through direct transmission from an infected person or through exposure to an infected environment.
Despite this, many of the animals were not severely affected by SARS-CoV-2 and only showed mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. The risk of animal-to-human transmission is considered to be low, and there have been very few confirmed cases of this occurring.
Additionally, it has been reported that some animals can be vaccinated against COVID-19, but the efficacy and safety of these vaccines have not been fully established yet.
To further elaborate, it is important to note that COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease, meaning it is caused by a pathogen (in this case, SARS-CoV-2) that has jumped from an animal host to humans. However, the majority of cases are believed to be the result of human-to-human transmission, with a small number of cases possibly resulting from the animal-to-human transmission. While it has been found that SARS-CoV-2 can infect a variety of animals, the risk of animal-to-human transmission is considered to be low and further research is needed to fully understand the role of animals in the spread of COVID-19.
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