In Cyprus, an epidemic of coronavirus in cats, 300,000 animals died, 8,000 were hospitalized in veterinary clinics

Coronavirus “mows down” cats in Cyprus, the government decided to provide them with antiviral drugs that are used to treat people.

The epidemic among Cypriot cats began, according to Deutsche Welle, at the beginning of the year. On August 4, government spokesman Konstantinos Letimpiotis announced measures to administer antiviral drugs to the feline population, citing a rapid increase in cases. The drugs will be available at veterinary offices and by prescription from a veterinarian.

Hundreds of thousands of cats are sick. Given that the cat population is more than twice the number of people living in Cyprus, since the beginning of the year, according to experts, hundreds of thousands of animals have fallen ill, more than eight thousand have been hospitalized in veterinary clinics with a diagnosis of coronavirus.

Dr. Marios Michael, veterinarian, explains DW that the epidemic broke out in Cyprus at the beginning of the year, when a mutation of the coronavirus strain appeared, turning into infectious peritonitis. Its symptoms include fever, jaundice and bloating. According to the doctor, there have been hundreds of cases of cats being brought to veterinary clinics with symptoms of a car collision, but in the end, tests showed that these were neurological problems caused by infectious peritonitis.

Tens of thousands of cats are estimated to have died as a result of infectious peritonitis, with some estimates reaching six figures – 300,000 dead animals were reported last week. However, this information is disputed, as the exact total population in Cyprus has not been officially determined.

The government’s decision to make medicines that have been used to treat people infected with coronavirus available is just one of the measures to contain the epidemic in cats. The second decision concerns the approval of the importation of a veterinary drug from the UK that has proven particularly effective in the treatment of feline infectious peritonitis.

Dimitris Epaminondas, Vice-President of the Pan-Cypriot Veterinary Association, expressed his satisfaction that Cypriot veterinarians now have two powerful weapons in their hands to fight the epidemic and expressed hope that the drugs will prove effective. He noted that Cyprus is the only country that has approved two drugs for the treatment of sick animals.

However, the veterinary community is concerned about the cost of treatment with approved veterinary drugs from the United Kingdom, which could be as high as €7,000. According to veterinarians, the high cost of these drugs has recently led to the fact that more and more citizens are purchasing cheap drugs that are sold on the black market, on foreign websites, writes CNN Greece.

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