Daejeon City Strengthens Pet Protection and Quarantine... "COVID Test Required if Contact with Confirmed Case"

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Daejeon City is preparing and implementing a ‘COVID-19 Related Pet Management Plan.’

According to the city on the 3rd, there have been reported cases domestically and internationally of pets infected after contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients.

Accordingly, the city recommends washing hands thoroughly before and after touching pets and maintaining a distance of at least 2 meters from people and animals when walking pets to prevent the spread of COVID-19 through pets.

In particular, when exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, it is emphasized to refrain from touching pets, hugging, kissing, or sharing food with them, and to arrange for other family members to take care of the pets. If a place to temporarily care for pets is needed, the temporary care service operated by Daejeon City can be used.

The city also plans to conduct COVID-19 diagnostic tests limited to dogs and cats if infection is suspected after contact with confirmed patients.

The test subjects will be decided through consultation between the autonomous district health departments and the Health and Environment Research Institute, with the Health and Environment Research Institute conducting the tests.

If a pet tests positive for COVID-19, the principle is to quarantine the pet at home just like humans. If home quarantine conditions are not feasible, the city’s temporary care service should be used to ensure quarantine is maintained.

A city official stated, “Cases of pets being infected after contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients are rarely reported,” adding, “Although there have been no reported cases of pets transmitting COVID-19 to humans, we ask that pet owners comply with the pet management plan to prepare for any unforeseen situations and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.