As Italy gradually recovers from the Covid-19 outbreak, a domestic cat has died of an extremely rare virus in Arezzo, Tuscany. The city’s mayor took action, as did the health ministry.
When is the next pandemic? This is the question that worries Italy, already very bereaved by the Covid-19 epidemic. At the origin of this new concern: a domestic cat, as reported International mail. It all started on June 12, in Arezzo, Tuscany, when a two-year-old female cat behaved strangely towards the family members she lives with after returning from a two-day stay away from home. the city. “The feline had become very aggressive and bit three family members. He was then taken to a veterinarian who was also attacked.explains the Roman daily La Republica.
Having the impression of recognizing the symptoms of rabies, the professional sends the cat to a structure specializing in neurological problems, where the animal dies. Part of his brain was thus able to be the subject of additional analyses, making it possible to establish that the feline was positive for a type of Lyssavirus, close to that which causes rabies. According to Il Fatto Quotidianoit is an extremely rare virus, which “has only been identified once in history, in a bat from the Caucasus, in 2002”.
Thirteen people undergoing preventive treatment
A watchword in the face of the event: caution. The thirteen people bitten or who came into contact with the cat were subjected to preventive treatment. “The possibility that these people have contracted the disease is considered very slim, but it is better not to take a risk”precise La Repubblica. On the other hand, the mayor of Arezzo has decided that the dog, the cat and the three kittens also living with the family are “kidnapped”according to Il Fatto Quotidiano.
Measures also concern the 100,000 inhabitants of the city, since from June 28 to August 27, dogs will only be able to circulate on a leash in the municipality, “failing which, they may be kidnapped”. “The mayor also invited residents to report to the municipal authorities any escape of their dogs or sudden change in behavior.report our colleagues.
“It probably all started with a bat with Lyssavirus”
The case is far from being taken lightly: the Ministry of Health has set up a “technical and scientific group” to study the facts more closely. One question remains: how did the cat contract the Lyssavirus? “It all probably started from a bat with Lyssavirus, which fell to the ground, paralyzed by the diseasebelieves Canio Bonavoglia, a professor specializing in infectious diseases, interviewed by Corriere della Sera. The cat approached her, was bitten and thus contracted the virus.
The specialist wants to be reassuring: for him, the probability of a passage of the virus from bats to domestic animals is “a little” like winning the lottery. Moreover, do not worry: rabies is not transmitted between humans.
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