{"id":120467,"date":"2023-11-16T17:39:50","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T17:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogcamlodipine.com\/?p=120467"},"modified":"2023-11-16T17:39:50","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T17:39:50","slug":"cat-killing-covid-strain-that-destroyed-300000-felines-has-been-found-in-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogcamlodipine.com\/world-news\/cat-killing-covid-strain-that-destroyed-300000-felines-has-been-found-in-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"Cat-killing Covid strain that destroyed 300,000 felines has been found in UK"},"content":{"rendered":"

A deadly Covid variant which has reportedly killed 8,000 cats in Cyprus, has been detected in the UK.<\/p>\n

The highly infectious F-Cov-23 strain was brought into the country by a cat that had been transported from Cyprus. The cat's owner sent it for tests after noticing unusual symptoms, and now experts have identified this as a new hybrid version of an existing feline and canine coronavirus, not linked to the pandemic.<\/p>\n

Symptoms include mild diarrhoea and lethargy, but most cats show no signs, making treatment tricky. In one out of 10 cases, the virus mutates into a fatal condition called feline infection peritonitis, causing loss of appetite, anaemia, jaundice, fever, a swollen abdomen and inflammation. Cat owners are being urged to watch out for these symptoms.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: There are now two new 'extremely evasive' mystery strains of Coronavirus already in UK<\/b><\/p>\n

For more Coronavirus news, click here.<\/b><\/p>\n

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The virus is believed to have killed at least 8,000 cats in Cyprus in the first half of this year, but the actual figure could be up to 300,000. In August, Cyprus authorities approved human-targeted Covid treatments for cats to try and control the outbreak. A study published on bioRxiv warns of a potential outbreak of feline covid. The mix of canine coronavirus with the feline strain has made the disease more infectious.<\/p>\n

Dr Christine Tait-Burkard, the author of the study, told The Telegraph: "This new virus appears to spread readily and no longer relies on changes or mutations in the host.<\/p>\n

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