First confirmed case of Covid in pet reported in South Korea
Seoul, Jan 24: In the first case involving a pet, a kitten has tested positive for the Covid-19 in South Korea.
The infected kitten tested positive on Thursday and was found at a religious facility in the southeastern city of Jinju in South Gyeongsang Province, according to government officials.
“During a recent tracking process involving a mass outbreak, health authorities found that a pet has tested positive for Covid-19 in the first such case,” Yonhap News Agency quoted Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun as saying on Sunday.
Twenty-nine people were first confirmed to be infected after visiting there earlier this month, and more than 100 linked to the facility, including them, have since tested positive.
During a tracking process, officials found that a mother and daughter staying at the facility were raising three cats — a mother cat and two kittens — there. The infected pet is one of the two kittens.
Health authorities suspect the cat got the virus from the mother and daughter, who have both tested positive for Covid-19. A government official said it is very rare for pets to transmit the virus to humans, citing health experts, the report said.
The Prime Minister urged health authorities to look into the possibility of transmissions between humans and animals and to transparently share the findings for people who live with pets or are often exposed to them. (IANS)
London wedding organiser fined over $13k for breaching lockdown
London, Jan 24: The organiser of a wedding attended by 400 guests in London is facing a fine of 10,000 pounds ($13,682) for a “shameful” breach of the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown, police said.
The police found revellers packed together at the ceremony held inside Yesoday Hatorah Girls Senior School in Egerton Road, Stamford Hill, in the north of the British capital, Xinhua news agency reported.
It is one of the largest breaches of restrictions police have discovered in London, the Evening Standard newspaper said in a report on Saturdaya.
Police officers had received reports of a large gathering at around 9.15 p.m. on January 21, according to the newspaper report.
Around 400 people were at the venue, which had windows covered to stop anyone seeing inside, it added.
Many of the guests left as police arrived.
The event organiser will be reported for consideration of a 10,000-pound fine, while five other attendees were issued with 200 pounds fixed penalty notices.
Under current rules in England, weddings and civil partnerships should only take place in exceptional circumstances, for example, if one of the couple is seriously ill and not expected to recover.
England is currently under the third national lockdown since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country.
Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. (IANS)
