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Pug in North Carolina Tests Positive for the Coronavirus, Researchers Say Pug in North Carolina Tests Positive for Coronavirus, Researchers Say
(about 1 month later)
Update: Winston was not infected with the coronavirus, the U.S.D.A. said in June.
A pug in North Carolina named Winston has tested positive for the coronavirus in what is apparently the first known case in which the virus was detected in a dog in the United States, researchers at Duke University said on Tuesday.A pug in North Carolina named Winston has tested positive for the coronavirus in what is apparently the first known case in which the virus was detected in a dog in the United States, researchers at Duke University said on Tuesday.
The dog belongs to a Chapel Hill family participating in a research study at the university, in which researchers were trying to understand how humans respond to different types of infection. Three of the family members, Dr. Heather McLean, Dr. Samuel McLean and their son Ben McLean, were also infected by the virus.The dog belongs to a Chapel Hill family participating in a research study at the university, in which researchers were trying to understand how humans respond to different types of infection. Three of the family members, Dr. Heather McLean, Dr. Samuel McLean and their son Ben McLean, were also infected by the virus.
The dog’s symptoms lasted only a few days and were mild, according to members of the family — he was sluggish, sneezing and breathing heavily. Most telling of all, they said, he didn’t finish breakfast one morning.The dog’s symptoms lasted only a few days and were mild, according to members of the family — he was sluggish, sneezing and breathing heavily. Most telling of all, they said, he didn’t finish breakfast one morning.
Winston’s preliminary test results, if confirmed by the U.S. Agriculture Department, will raise broader questions about how susceptible animals are to the coronavirus. Experts have said that there is no evidence that pets can transmit the virus to people, and that people should not worry about giving the virus to their pets.Winston’s preliminary test results, if confirmed by the U.S. Agriculture Department, will raise broader questions about how susceptible animals are to the coronavirus. Experts have said that there is no evidence that pets can transmit the virus to people, and that people should not worry about giving the virus to their pets.
Dr. John Howe, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, said Winston could have licked something or someone with the virus, causing him to test positive, but that did not mean that the virus was in his bloodstream.Dr. John Howe, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, said Winston could have licked something or someone with the virus, causing him to test positive, but that did not mean that the virus was in his bloodstream.
Pugs sneeze every day, and not finishing a meal doesn’t sound concerning, Dr. Howe added.Pugs sneeze every day, and not finishing a meal doesn’t sound concerning, Dr. Howe added.
“I don’t believe he was truly infected — you would need to do an antibody test,” he continued, adding that it is important that people provide their pets with love and care.“I don’t believe he was truly infected — you would need to do an antibody test,” he continued, adding that it is important that people provide their pets with love and care.
“Your pets are not going to catch it from you,” he said.“Your pets are not going to catch it from you,” he said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends treating pets as you would your human relatives. They should be isolated from any sick family members and should steer clear from interacting with people outside.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends treating pets as you would your human relatives. They should be isolated from any sick family members and should steer clear from interacting with people outside.
Of the family pets tested, Winston, who is 2, was the only one to test positive. Both Otis, 13, the older of the McLeans’s two pugs, and Mr. Nibs, a 12-year-old tabby cat, tested negative. (The family also has a lizard, which was not tested.) WRAL, a North Carolina television station, first reported the results.Of the family pets tested, Winston, who is 2, was the only one to test positive. Both Otis, 13, the older of the McLeans’s two pugs, and Mr. Nibs, a 12-year-old tabby cat, tested negative. (The family also has a lizard, which was not tested.) WRAL, a North Carolina television station, first reported the results.
The McLeans said that if any of their pets had the coronavirus, it would definitely be Winston. He is the most cuddly of the lot. He sleeps in bed with Heather and Samuel McLean, both medical doctors. And he hasn’t exactly been social distancing from members of his family, who said they did not think a dog could catch the virus.The McLeans said that if any of their pets had the coronavirus, it would definitely be Winston. He is the most cuddly of the lot. He sleeps in bed with Heather and Samuel McLean, both medical doctors. And he hasn’t exactly been social distancing from members of his family, who said they did not think a dog could catch the virus.
“We constantly snuggle with him, putting his face in our face,” Ben McLean, 20, said. “When we put all our plates in the dishwasher, he perches on the dishwasher and licks some of the plates.”“We constantly snuggle with him, putting his face in our face,” Ben McLean, 20, said. “When we put all our plates in the dishwasher, he perches on the dishwasher and licks some of the plates.”
Their daughter, Sydney McLean, 17, who is the only member of the family who has tested negative for the virus, helped hold the animals while the researchers were taking the samples.Their daughter, Sydney McLean, 17, who is the only member of the family who has tested negative for the virus, helped hold the animals while the researchers were taking the samples.
Dr. Chris Woods, head of a Duke University research team that is focusing on the coronavirus, said that researchers found a low amount of virus in the pug’s saliva. “If you’ve ever seen a pug, they’ve got a big old tongue and are touching things, so it’s not all that surprising that that happened,” he said. Some of Winston’s symptoms were similar to human symptoms, like difficulty breathing.Dr. Chris Woods, head of a Duke University research team that is focusing on the coronavirus, said that researchers found a low amount of virus in the pug’s saliva. “If you’ve ever seen a pug, they’ve got a big old tongue and are touching things, so it’s not all that surprising that that happened,” he said. Some of Winston’s symptoms were similar to human symptoms, like difficulty breathing.
There’s no evidence that dogs can transmit the virus to humans, Dr. Woods said, adding that the detection of the virus won’t affect how he interacted with his own dog, a basset hound. “They are serving such an important role in our mental health in our households at the moment,” he said.There’s no evidence that dogs can transmit the virus to humans, Dr. Woods said, adding that the detection of the virus won’t affect how he interacted with his own dog, a basset hound. “They are serving such an important role in our mental health in our households at the moment,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department said that the agency was aware of the report and was following up, but that it had not yet confirmed the test results. If confirmed, Winston would be the first official case of a dog testing positive for the coronavirus in the United States.A spokeswoman for the Agriculture Department said that the agency was aware of the report and was following up, but that it had not yet confirmed the test results. If confirmed, Winston would be the first official case of a dog testing positive for the coronavirus in the United States.
Updated June 1, 2020
Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home.
States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said.
Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully sunshine, is a good idea.
Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.
Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities using a numbers-based system, has a running list of nonprofits working in communities affected by the outbreak. You can give blood through the American Red Cross, and World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals in major cities.
Winston is among the first of a small number of both dogs and cats that have tested positive for the coronavirus. One of two dogs in Hong Kong that tested positive, a 17-year-old Pomeranian, died, although its ongoing health issues were probably responsible for the death, rather than the coronavirus, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, a group representing U.S. veterinarians.Winston is among the first of a small number of both dogs and cats that have tested positive for the coronavirus. One of two dogs in Hong Kong that tested positive, a 17-year-old Pomeranian, died, although its ongoing health issues were probably responsible for the death, rather than the coronavirus, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, a group representing U.S. veterinarians.
A cat in Hong Kong, a cat in Belgium and two cats in New York have also tested positive, the group said. In one of the New York cases, the owner had tested positive for the virus, while in the other, no human in the household had tested positive. The group said it did not have any information that suggested that pets might infect humans.A cat in Hong Kong, a cat in Belgium and two cats in New York have also tested positive, the group said. In one of the New York cases, the owner had tested positive for the virus, while in the other, no human in the household had tested positive. The group said it did not have any information that suggested that pets might infect humans.
A tiger at the Bronx Zoo also tested positive for the coronavirus, probably contracting it from a zoo employee, the Agriculture Department said this month. Although only one tiger was tested, the department said, the virus appeared to have infected other animals as well. Several lions and tigers showed symptoms, but they were expected to recover.A tiger at the Bronx Zoo also tested positive for the coronavirus, probably contracting it from a zoo employee, the Agriculture Department said this month. Although only one tiger was tested, the department said, the virus appeared to have infected other animals as well. Several lions and tigers showed symptoms, but they were expected to recover.
Winston, these days, is back to his usual self, Heather McLean said. He takes long walks, naps and plays with his favorite toy, Lambie. “We have all recovered,” Ben McLean said, “including Winston.”Winston, these days, is back to his usual self, Heather McLean said. He takes long walks, naps and plays with his favorite toy, Lambie. “We have all recovered,” Ben McLean said, “including Winston.”