The Associated Press report stated that the city will also stop the sale of hamsters and the import of small mammals. 2023 BBC. Chinese technicians and engineers may get faster visas for work in India. A recent coronavirus cluster in humans traced to a pet shop worker prompted checks on hundreds of animals in the Chinese-ruled territory, with 11 hamsters found infected, officials said. Hong Kong will cull thousands of hamsters after Covid cases in a pet shop. Marshmallow the hamster plays in a cage before being dropped off at an animal management center Wednesday in the Sha Tin area of Hong Kong. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Buyers of hamsters after Dec. 22, 2021 should hand them to authorities for culling and not leave them on streets, he added. Hong Kongs health secretary, Sophia Chan, conceded there was no evidence domestic animals can pass the disease to humans, but authorities were acting out of caution. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. They are quiet and theyre a little depressed and lose some weight for a few days, but theyre good, he said. There have been previous cases of animal infection, including several pets in Hong Kong, over the course of the pandemic. If the people concerned continue with such action, or fail to return the hamsters taken away, the AFCD will stringently follow up and hand it over to the police for handling, the agency said. Leung said he was surprised to hear hamsters could get infected and was also worried by reports of virus transmission on food packaging. "Bloomberg Opinion" columnists offer their opinions on issues in the news. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers. It appears it was known hamsters could be infected with the disease a May 2020 study by leading Hong Kong infectious disease experts used the animals to determine the effectiveness of mask-wearing, by lining some hamster cages with them and measuring the transmission between infected animals and their health neighbours. A new pact is a priority for WHO chief who called it a generational commitment that we will not go back to the old cycle of panic and neglect at the UN agency's annual assembly. Of seven million virus sequences submitted to global platforms, around 1,500 are from animals. Health officials said they had found no precedent for pet hamsters passing the coronavirus to humans, but noted that hamsters had been infected in laboratories. Hong Kong, a densely populated city of 7.4 million people, is vulnerable to an outbreak because the public has been slow to get vaccinated. They were all imported from the Netherlands, according to local broadcaster RTHK. Global welfare group World Animal Protection said the measures were premature. A decades-old political cartoon column has been scrapped by a respected Hong Kong newspaper after it faced a barrage of criticism from officials, in a move widely seen as a further blow to the . Like China, Hong Kong . Animal-to-human transmission of Covid-19 is rare and usually occurs when animals are held in large groups like in warehouses or on farms. Austin Ramzy is a Hong Kong reporter, focusing on coverage of the city and also of regional and breaking news. Strict rules have been laid out for hamster owners. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Families who have bought a hamster from the Little Boss pet store since 22 December have been told to hand over their pet for euthanasia. He previously covered major events around Asia from Taipei and Beijing. Deputy agriculture chief Thomas Sit defended the cull as a precautionary measure when asked why the decision was made without a clear scientific basis. Online petitions and hamster rescue groups have sprung up in response. STORIES OF LIFE IN A CHANGING WORLD Goats and Soda Coronavirus FAQs: Are pets a threat? We have assessed the risks of these batches are relatively high and therefore made the decision based on public health needs, the director of agriculture, fisheries and conservation, Dr Leung Siu-fai, said. Authorities call for animals to be surrendered for disposal after traces of virus detected at pet shop. All rights reserved. In 2020, Denmark culled its entire population of 15 million minks after some were found to be carrying a mutated variant of Covid-19. The moves come despite doubts among health experts that the virus can be transmitted via packaging. Authorities in Hong Kong have swooped in on a pet shop, seizing a number of hamsters to be euthanised following a Covid outbreak. The hamster art will be minted using Solana, a decentralized blockchain that hosts thousands of NFT, DeFi (decentralized finance) and Web3 projects. HONG KONG Hong Kong is lifting a ban on the importing of hamsters for sale, a year after it ordered more than 2,000 hamsters and other small mammals to be culled in an effort to prevent pets from spreading Covid-19 to people. The move came following the report that hamsters sold at the Little Boss pet shop, as well as an employee, tested positive for the Delta variant now rare in Hong Kong. The local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said it was shocked and concerned by the governments announcement on Tuesday, which it said did not take animal welfare and the human-animal bond into consideration.. Its also difficult to identify an infected hamster without testing, since they exhibit few symptoms. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 people were recently ordered to quarantine at home in Zhejiang province after they came in contact with Vietnamese dragon fruit that was suspected of being contaminated. Further testing found 11 infected hamsters in the shop and positive samples from cages at the companys warehouse. The pet shop employee tested positive for the Delta variant on 17 January, and several hamsters imported from the Netherlands at the store tested positive as well. The department said it was preparing for commercial hamster imports to resume by the middle of this month, with all imported hamsters required to undergo quarantine and released to the market only after they test negative for the coronavirus. Jessie Pang joined Reuters in 2019 after an internship. Thousands of people have offered to adopt unwanted hamsters. Its June. Hong Kong's official case tally is just 13,096, with 213 deaths since the pandemic began. Calls to the office of the Little Boss pet shop on Friday went unanswered. Hamster owners in particular "should keep them at home", she said. IE 11 is not supported. She covers Hong Kong with a focus on politics and general news. The virus that causes Covid-19 - Sars-Cov-2 - can be caught by animals including dogs, cats, ferrets and rodents, all commonly kept as pets. The territory is not the only place authorities have taken extreme measures against animals to curb the spread of the pandemic. The government described the outcry as irrational. After three months without any local transmission, Hong Kong has seen dozens of new coronavirus cases in humans this year, triggering fresh curbs on flights and social life. Chan said the sudden announcement had caught pet owners unprepared and that some members of the public were frightened.. Bruce Willis family missed a common early dementia symptomand theyre not alone. We have no choice we have to make a firm decision.. The IT company reportedly threatened employees with disciplinary action if they failed to abide by its new policy. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. China has largely avoided major outbreaks, but continues to fight surges in several cities and is on high alert ahead of the start of the Beijing Winter Olympics in less than three weeks. More than 2200 hamsters from dozens of pet shops have been euthanized so far. But they called on residents to surrender hamsters imported since Dec. 22 to be tested and euthanized to prevent any further spread. Meanwhile, an estimated 2,000 hamsters and other small animals are being culled in Hong Kong over what officials say may be the Chinese territorys first case of animal-to-human transmission, drawing outrage from pet owners and animal welfare groups. The World Health Organization said some animal species can be infected with the coronavirus, and animals can re-infect humans. I dont really understand what we should do. (modern). They also encouraged the public to surrender any hamsters bought at local pet shops on or after Dec. 22, when the first of two recent shipments from the Netherlands arrived in Hong Kong. Prepare for the Superpowers of Pride. Copyright 2023. An underground network of animal lovers is helping Hong Kong hamster owners avoid a government cull. Exclusive news, data and analytics for financial market professionals, Writing by Marius Zaharia and Farah Master; Hong Kong culls small mammals amid Covid concern, came in contact with Vietnamese dragon fruit, some evidence that owners can infect pets. "The SPCA is shocked and concerned over the recent government announcement on the handling of over 2,000 small animals, which did not take animal welfare and the human-animal bond into consideration," it said. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,Cricket News, Bollywood News, Hong Kong's agriculture department reports some guinea pigs, rabbits and chinchillas have been exterminated, too. Hong Kong has one of the most stringent COVID-19 policies in the world, with most inbound travelers and aircrew subject to 14 or 21 days of strict hotel quarantine. Ocean, 29, a hamster owner and the administrator of 'Hong Kong the Cute Hamster Group' on the Telegram social media app, said the group was contacted by almost 3,000 people willing to take care of unwanted animals temporarily. Public health experts and animal welfare groups urged pet owners not to panic or abandon their animals. But Hong Kong authorities arent taking any chances. Hong Kong residents who had recently purchased hamsters were advised to surrender their pets, shops selling hamsters were temporarily shut down and an import ban was enacted. And some Russian regions have inoculated animals against COVID-19 after Moscow said it had registered the worlds first vaccine for animals following tests with dogs, cats, foxes and mink. A pet shop employee, a customer, and the customer's spouse have now tested positive or provisionally positive, health authorities said. Why should we still keep unreasonable restrictions on small animals? he said. While a handful of hamsters had already tested positive for the virus, this case is the first involving a hamster in the care of a pet owner that has tested positive. We will not stand for euthanizing of our little hamsters! "Pet owners should keep a good hygiene practice, including washing hands after touching the animals, handling their food or other items, and avoid kissing the animals," Hong Kong's agriculture department director Leung Siu-fai told reporters at a news conference. Read about our approach to external linking. The Hong Kong Animal Law and Protection Organization, an advocacy group, said the hamster import ban was one of the most nonsensical decisions the Hong Kong government made in response to the Covid-19 pandemic., The real harm that arose from the incident at the pet shop, the group said, was the fear-mongering the government instilled in pet owners and the subsequent poor treatment of animals as a response to this fear.. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). AP, Health secretary Sophia Chan was quoted by news agency Agence France Presse as saying, "Internationally, there is no evidence yet to show pets can transmit the coronavirus to humans, but we will take precautionary measures against any vector of transmission.". It was unclear how many hamsters had been handed in. Tue 18 Jan 2022 05.27 EST Last modified on Wed 19 Jan 2022 09.44 EST Hong Kong has ordered thousands of hamsters be surrendered for "disposal" after traces of Covid-19 were found on 11. A man called me and asked my phone number and said he will send a message to me, but so far I dont have any information from [the government], he told the Guardian. Pet owners are outraged By Jessie Yeung, CNN Updated 12:15 AM EST, Fri January 21, 2022 Link Copied! "The theoretical risk is there, but it just doesn't happen.". Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. On 18 January, authorities announced that they would kill about 2,000 small animals, including hamsters, after several tested positive for coronavirus at a pet store where an employee was also infected. Hong Kongs decision to kill thousands of hamsters, rabbits and chinchillas on the never previously seen risk that they could spread Covid-19 to humans is an overreaction borne of Covid Zero politics that may have no impact on the pandemic, experts said. All Rights Reserved. Updated Date: It is unlikely that hamsters living in peoples homes had Covid, and the culling caused stress to pet owners and tension in the community, she added. A mass hamster cull in Hong Kong sparked fears among animal welfare groups on Wednesday that panicky people would abandon their pets after 11 of the rodents from one petshop in the city tested positive for COVID-19. Fortune exchanged WhatsApp messages with one of the founders behind the NFT hamster project, who insisted on anonymity, saying the group prefers more privacy in the crypto world. The founder, who goes by her initials CW, said that [we are] simply [animal] lovers. Hong Kong and mainland China are among the only places in the world still pursuing a zero-Covid strategy, enacting strict policies to ensure there are as few cases as possible. Offers may be subject to change without notice. "The SPCA is shocked and concerned over the recent announcement about the handling of over 2,000 animals," it said in a statement sent to AFP. Seven Summer Camps Just for Adults, Goldman CEO Loves Summer Camp So Much Hes Expanded His Portfolio, How Summer Camp Became Such a Hot Mess for Parents, India Panel Favors Keeping Sedition Law Put on Hold by Top Court, Solar Beats Coal in Europe for First Time - But Theres a Glitch, US Concerned About Vietnams Detention of Environmentalist, New Jersey Senior-Living Facilitys Woes Exacerbated by Construction Delays. Officials said on Tuesday that it was not clear that the virus had been transmitted to humans from imported hamsters. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Never miss a story: Follow your favorite topics and authors to get a personalized email with the journalism that matters most to you. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. Jan. 6, 2023, 12:05 AM PST By Marie Brockling and Dorothy Kam HONG KONG Hong Kong is lifting a ban on the importing of hamsters for sale, a year after it ordered more than 2,000. A hotline for enquiries was being set up, while some 150 of the pet shop's customers were going into quarantine, officials said. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong, Rhoda Kwan reported from Melbourne, Australia. Officials said it was not clear that the virus had been transmitted to humans from the animals. The World Health Organization has said coronaviruses need a live animal or human host to multiply and survive and cannot multiply on the surface of food packages. There is also little scientific evidence of animal-to-human transmission, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describing the risk of animals infecting humans with Covid as low.. The founders will shortlist four charities and hold a vote on Instagram to select the final charity to receive the funds. Jessie Pang joined Reuters in 2019 after an internship. Are TCS employees being forced to come to office? For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. This week, state media turned its focus to packages from abroad, with postal workers now asked to wear protective equipment and disinfect international mail. January 21, 2022, 11:32 AM PST. Residents in Beijing and other cities have been urged to beware of items sent from abroad, after officials said the capitals first case of the more transmissible omicron variant may have arrived via a parcel from Canada. Several thousand carcasses that had been hastily buried in West Jutland began rising out of the earth months later, prompting alarm and a police operation to rebury the animals at the macabre scene. Just over 70 percent of the eligible population is fully inoculated, one of the lowest rates among the worlds developed economies. FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. Theyre excreting the virus, and the virus can infect other animals, other hamsters and also human beings, said Thomas Sit, assistant director of Hong Kongs Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation department. HONG KONG, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Hong Kong police will deal with pet lovers who try to stop people giving up their hamsters to be put down, or who offer to care for abandoned hamsters,. Scientists around the world and Hong Kong health and veterinary authorities have said there was no evidence that animals play a major role in human contagion with the coronavirus. Two employees were also confirmed to have the disease, including one who cleans out the animal cages and handles the hamsters. Soon after, health workers in hazmat suits were seen walking out of pet shops around the city carrying red plastic bags into their vans. 2023 Fortune Media IP Limited. Officials said that two shipments of hamsters from the Netherlands were particularly worrying, including about 1,800 brought in on Dec. 22 and more than 800 that arrived on Jan. 7. The government also ordered pet shops that sell hamsters to close for cleaning, and health officials will test the shops rabbits, chinchillas and guinea pigs. Hong Kong pet owners began dropping off their hamsters at a government facility on Wednesday in compliance with a mass cull of the tiny rodents. By Jessie Pang HONG KONG, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Thousands of people in Hong Kong volunteered on Wednesday to adopt unwanted hamsters after a mass cull order from the government over. While there is no doubt that hamsters transmitted the virus to a worker in the pet shop, in hindsight the culling of hamsters outside the infected shipment was unnecessary, Vanessa Barrs, a professor of veterinary medicine at City University of Hong Kong, told NBC News. The department also said more than 60 hamsters had been surrendered at its management center. Lets take a closer look at the situation: Hong Kong has been strongly adhering to China's 'zero-COVID' policy and the recent announcement of the cull comes as part of this strategy. The local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which runs veterinary clinics, told Reuters it received "numerous" enquiries from worried pet owners, asking what . In 1997, it slaughtered more than one million chickens every chicken in the territory to stop the spread of an avian flu virus, and the city has since carried out smaller culls when infected birds are found. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. In recent weeks both Hong Kong and mainland China have relaxed anti-Covid restrictions that minimized cases and deaths but also caused widespread public frustration. But as a "preventative measure", 2,000 hamsters and other small mammals in the city will be killed. Screen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. Supporters of the project will receive a digital art hamster in various forms and colors with attributes that directly relate back to Hong Kong, said an Instagram post. VideoFive ways to stay as healthy as the Dutch, Why the city that never sleeps is slowly sinking. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Can I visit? Animal rescue groups have congregated outside pet collection facilities and sent reminders on social media to tell owners that pet surrender is voluntarily and not legally obligated. Taiwan's Shinehouse theatre group, with the support of rights group Amnesty International, is putting on six performances of "35th of May" in Taipei from June 2-4. All rights reserved. The pet hamsters in Hong Kong are one of the few reported instances worldwide of infected animals spreading the virus to people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In "zero-Covid" Hong Kong, people are outraged as pet owners are surrendering their small pets after the government ordered a cull over Covid-19 fears, euthanizing around 2,000 hamsters,. HONG KONG Hong Kong has asked pet shops and owners to hand over close to 2,000 hamsters for culling by authorities, after 11 of the small rodents tested positive for the coronavirus in a pet . But can animals actually transmit the virus? Officials in the Chinese territory had been criticized over their response to an outbreak of the delta variant that was traced to a pet shop. thousands of people could unjustifiably lose their dearest companions, millions of farmed mink in Denmark were culled, More than 230 dead in India three-train crash, Utah schools ban Bible for 'vulgarity and violence', Popular Twitch streamer Puppers dies aged 32, White House says Biden is fine after fall on stage. IE 11 is not supported. A top veterinary scholar in Hong Kong has called the government's decision to cull 2,000 hamsters to prevent animal-to-human transmission of Covid-19 "super harsh" and expressed fears it. Buying a Home in California Is Already Hard. @austinramzy. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. The decision by the Hong Kong authorities has angered hamster owners and animal lovers. If they decide something we must do it.. Theres nothing to do, worry or not worry. Video, Five ways to stay as healthy as the Dutch. Meanwhile, a group of four university students and recent graduates in Hong Kong, has plans to digitally resurrect 2,000 hamsters online. The move has quite obviously evoked strong reactions with many asking for a rethink on the decision, while some others have hired private jets to take their pet hamsters out of Hong Kong and some Samaritans have reportedly volunteered to adopt hamsters from pet shops in a bid to save them from their grim fate. Thousands of people have been sent to a makeshift government quarantine facility. Authorities strongly encouraged pet owners who bought hamsters after Dec. 22when the first batch of hamsters from the Netherlands arrived in Hong Kongto turn in their furry friends for humane disposal.. A room full of infected hamsters would pose a risk of infection to people entering that room, said Bowen, whose work involves testing Covid drugs and vaccines in the animals. The project, called Carries Hamstersnamed after Hong Kongs embattled chief executive Carrie Lamwill mint 2,000 hamsters as NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, on Jan. 24. State Farms Exit Makes It Harder. HONG KONG (AP) Hong Kong authorities said Tuesday that they will cull some 2,000 small animals, including hamsters after several of the rodents tested positive for the virus at a pet store . HONG KONG: Hong Kong ordered a cull of 2,000 hamsters on Tuesday (Jan 18) and warned pet owners not to kiss animals after a new cluster of COVID-19 cases was traced to a pet shop. Authorities announced the decision on Tuesday after an outbreak of the Delta variant linked to a worker in the shop prompted officials to test hundreds of animals there - with 11 hamsters positive. Will they also kill all infected COVID-19 patients and their close contacts?". Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice| Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information| Ad Choices Throughout the pandemic, Chinese officials have blamed imported goods for virus transmission as they suggest that the virus may have originated outside the country before being first detected in the city of Wuhan in late 2019. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved. On Tuesday officials ordered the killing of hamsters from dozens of pet shops after tracing a Covid-19 outbreak to a worker and asked people to surrender any of the animals bought on or after 22 December. Chicago Sued Over Deal to Lease Public Land toEx-Mayors Billionaire Donor, Bitcoin Faces Fresh Challenges After Debt Deal Moves Forward, Citigroup Warns, FTX Objects to Extension of Mediation Talks for Bankrupt Crypto Lender Genesis, Key House Republicans Unveil Crypto Market Structure Draft Bill. But they called on residents to surrender recently imported hamsters. Sun 23 Jan 2022 08.41 EST Last modified on Mon 24 Jan 2022 00.13 EST A hamster surrendered to Hong Kong authorities by its owners has tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 2,200. One teaser released on Thursday depicts a digital hamster roaming Pennys BayHong Kongs designated quarantine facility for inbound travelers, incoming aircrew andthose exposed to COVID-19. A police officer stands guard outside a pet store closed after hamsters tested positive for Covid-19. [The government] strongly advises members of the public again to surrender as soon as possible their hamsters purchased in local pet shops on or after 22 December 2021 for humane dispatch, the government said. Hong Kongs leader, Carrie Lam, earlier said she understood that pet owners were unhappy with the killings, but said the biggest priority was controlling the outbreak. Louis Yeung, the owner of Chinchilla & Pets Shop in Hong Kong, said that although he received compensation from the government, the import ban had badly hurt his business and he supported lifting it. While its robust tracking and tracing efforts allowed experts to pinpoint the origin of almost every omicron infection, the case of delta that unexpectedly appeared in a local pet store worker flummoxed officials and led them to consider less likely scenarios. "We urge the pet owners not to panic or abandon their pets," SPCA said in a statement. Authorities in Hong Kong have allowed pet stores that sold hamsters to resume operations after nearly 2,000 hamsters were culled amid fears of the spread of the coronavirus from the animals.. Dr. Yuen Kwok-yung, head of the Department of Microbiology at the University of Hong Kong and a government adviser, told a local radio program Wednesday that the hamster cull was a difficult decision and that officials understand that lots of people have affection for their pets., But at the same time we need to think, this decision would have been completely unnecessary if everyone in Hong Kong got vaccinated.. 18 January 2022 Coronavirus pandemic Reuters Some 11 hamsters have reportedly tested positive Authorities in Hong Kong have swooped in on a pet shop, seizing a number of hamsters to be. All hamsters at the citys 34 licensed shops will be seized for testing and then culled, officials said. The final version of the digital hamsters will look slightly different from the currently released prototypes which are in a raw format, the group says. The case is the first involving a hamster in the care of an owner following pet shop outbreak. Public broadcaster RTHK said some hamster owners were seen handing over their animals at a government facility in the New Territories, while groups swiftly formed on social media to identify new owners for unwanted pet rodents. Music business pioneer Ghazi Shami takes us on a journey from his youth falling in love with the buzzing Bay Area music scene, to taking a tech job in Silicon Valley, to combining those worlds as an engineer who founded Empire, a wildly successful music distribution company. Around 100 people who visited Little Boss have been sent to isolate at the sterile quarantine camp, which is only 800 meters from Hong Kongs Disneyland amusement park. The firm is just one of the many that has put an end to work from home, Negotiations on new rules for dealing with pandemics are underway at the World Health Organisation. The cull also found support from top microbiologist and government advisor Yuen Kwok-yung, who said the move was "decisive" and "prudent". A preliminary test indicated that the customers husband had also contracted the coronavirus. REUTERS/Lam Yik. Terms & Conditions. Rishi Sunak Is Making All the Wrong Friends, Charting Nvidias 30-Year Ride to Overnight AI Success, Wish You Could Be a Kid Again? Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. Bowie, 27, one of those who volunteered in the group, is now the owner of two new hamsters. The industry leader for online information for tax, accounting and finance professionals. A ban on commercial imports of other small mammals like chinchillas and guinea pigs was lifted in May. Pet owners surrender. Hong Kongs start of a mass hamster cull to curb the spread of COVID-19 is prompting pet owners and animal welfare groups to protest. If their hamsters test positive, they will be subject to quarantine. More than 35,000 residents in more than a dozen buildings in the area were ordered to take Covid-19 tests, and Lam visited the area on Sunday. Officials say they believe the three people an employee, a customer and the customers husband may have been infected by imported hamsters at the shop, 11 of which have returned preliminary positive tests. Authorities began the animal extermination programme after humans and hamsters tested positive . We just follow the government instructions. But having pursued a policy of zero tolerance for COVID-19, Health Secretary Sophia Chan said on Tuesday she could not rule out any transmission possibilities and therefore the government could take no chances. HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong warned people not to kiss pets and ordered a mass cull of hamsters on Tuesday, to the outrage of animal-lovers, after 11 of the rodents tested positive for COVID-19. 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Hamsters are widely used around the world as a model for Covid in humans. Around the world, there have been coronavirus cases in dogs and cats too, though scientists say there is no evidence animals play a major role in human contagion. More than 14,000 people have signed a petition calling for authorities to stop the cull of hamsters. All pet owners should observe good personal hygiene, and after you have been in contact with animals and their food, you should wash your hands," he said. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. In a statement, the department said that as of Wednesday evening it had destroyed 69 hamsters, 21 rabbits and seven chinchillas at the Little Boss pet shop, and an additional 861 hamsters, 138 rabbits, 81 guinea pigs, 31 chinchillas and three white mice at its warehouse. While the global science community is sceptical on the likelihood of Covid-19 spreading by international mail, at least at the frequency it is reported in China, Beijing authorities said testing had found traces of the virus on the outside and inside of the package. Earlier. But hamsters kept in smaller numbers at home are unlikely to produce enough virus to infect household members, particularly if theyre vaccinated, Osterrieder said. Hong Kong has ordered thousands of hamsters be surrendered for disposal after traces of Covid-19 were found on 11 animals in a pet shop. Some scientists and veterinary authorities have said there is no evidence that animals play a large role in human coronavirus contagion. Hong Kong is lifting an import ban on hamsters around mid-January, nearly one year after more than 2,000 of the small mammals were culled in an attempt to contain animal-to-human transmission. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. While provoking anger, the cull has also ignited panic in other parts of the population, especially. The groups have also recruited volunteers to temporarily house or adopt hamsters that have been given up by their owners. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said it did not have the resources to isolate the animals or test them repeatedly, and that humane dispatch of all hamsters involved is a safe and feasible way to control the epidemic.. Thousands of people have signed a petition against the move. TCS has begun delivering notes to staff members who don't put in at least 12 days of in-office work each month. The world is removing Covid restrictions on human beings. On Tuesday, Hong Kong's . I dont really know if the human takes this [virus] to a hamster or the hamster takes this to the human.. officials ordered the killing of hamsters. Echoing the mainland's zero-tolerance policy even as much of the world shifts to living with COVID, Hong Kong ordered 2,000 hamsters "humanely" put down, and imports and sales stopped. AFP. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. A two-year-old hamster named "Ring" owned by Cheung, a member of an online hamster community who has volunteered to foster abandoned small animals in light of government instructions for pet owners to give up recently purchased hamsters, chinchillas, rabbits and guinea pigs for culling after hamsters in a pet store tested positive for COVID-19, is fed by its owner in Hong Kong. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Hong Kong criticized the planned cull, saying it did not take animal welfare and the human-animal bond into consideration. It urged the government to review its decision and to consider alternatives. Anyone can read what you share. The Hong Kong government's decision to cull 2,000 hamsters to contain a possible hamster-to-human transmission of the coronavirus has sparked outrage among pet owners and animal rights. Moreover, customers who bought hamsters in Hong Kong from 22 December, 2021, would be subject to mandatory testing and are urged not contact others until their tests have returned negative. Two thousand small family pets to be put down on virus fears, City ramps up Covid eradication efforts amid ongoing outbreak, Hong Kong to Cull Over 1,000 Hamsters After Delta Flare, Amazon Is in Talks to Offer Free Mobile Service to US Prime Members, Inside the Making of Redfall, Xboxs Latest Misfire, Everything Apple Plans to Show at WWDC: XR Headset, iOS 17 and More, Stock Melt-Up Drives S&P 500 to Brink of Bull Run: Markets Wrap, Taylor Swift Argentina Tickets Are a Bargain With Inflation Over 100%. Pets can catch Covid from owners, study suggests, First UK Covid case in pet dog confirmed by vet, Snotty-nosed hippos test positive for Covid, HK police charge former aircrew over Covid rules, More than 260 dead in India three-train crash, Parents clash in Pride protest at US primary school, Biden says debt deal averted 'economic collapse', Mystery of a deadly boat accident on an Italian lake. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. The imported hamster theory comes a day after Chinese authorities, who are similarly battling outbreaks while pursuing a zero Covid strategy, blamed an untraceable case of the Omicron variant in Beijing on a package sent from Canada, via the US and Hong Kong. Small animals like hamsters can be tested through their blood or feces, or via oral swabs, experts say. The cluster was traced to a worker at the Little Boss pet shop in the Causeway Bay district of Hong Kong island who was confirmed on Monday to have contracted the Delta variant. "That risk remains low but it is something that we are constantly looking at," said the WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. "Culling animals should always be a last resort and we encourage governments to explore other options, such as quarantine, first," said research head Jan Schmidt-Burbach. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. blamed an untraceable case of the Omicron variant in Beijing on a package sent from Canada, used the animals to determine the effectiveness of mask-wearing. Theyre down 67%, CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Hong Kong will cull more than 2,000 hamsters and ban the import of small animals after a pet shop worker, a customer and at least 11 hamsters tested positive for the Delta variant of the coronavirus. HONG KONG, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Saturday warned that COVID-19 infections could be growing exponentially in a congested residential area of the city and that. "Many pet owners are unfamiliar with the exact risks and give up their hamsters, she said. India News and Entertainment News here. Faced with persistent outbreaks that have threatened to undermine Beijings strict Covid-19 strategy and overshadow next months Winter Olympics, officials turned to new measures this week that have drawn doubts and dismay from local residents and experts alike. Health Secretary Sophia Chan told a news conference authorities were acting out of caution even though there was no evidence domestic animals can infect humans. Till date, there have been reports of pet dogs, cats, ferrets, animals in zoos and sanctuaries, minks and hyenas among some others testing positive for COVID-19. Staff members from Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department investigate in a pet shop closed after some pet hamsters authorities said, tested positive for the coronavirus, in Hong Kong. Today it can be hamsters or rabbits, tomorrow it can be cats or dogs., [1/5] Officers in protective suits walk outside a closed pet shop in Mong Kok district after a hamster cull was ordered to curb the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Hong Kong, China, January 19, 2022. On Friday, officials threatened police action over reports that some people had offered to shelter hamsters whose owners were thinking about surrendering them. Hong Kong will euthanize about 2,000 hamsters and other small animals after a pet store worker and several rodents tested positive for coronavirus, as the city pursues an uncompromising zero-Covid . According to the newest risk assessment and current situation, this department believes that the import ban for hamsters could be lifted, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said in an emailed statement on Thursday. After 11 hamsters tested positive for the coronavirus, Hong Kong is . The. For instance, Leung Siu-fai, director of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, said during a news conference that owners should keep hamsters at home, and not take them out. Faced with outbreaks that threatened to overshadow next months Winter Olympics, officials turned to new measures that have drawn dismay from residents and experts. Pet owners and animal welfare groups criticized the governments decision at the time as disproportionate and cruel, and tens of thousands of people signed an online petition against it. HONG KONG, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Thousands of people in Hong Kong volunteered on Wednesday to adopt unwanted hamsters after a mass cull order from the government over COVID-19 fears raised alarm that panicky owners would abandon their pets. In a . SPCA listed ways to maintain strict personal hygiene for the safety of humans and animals, including never to kiss, cough at or snort near pets, and washing hands after handling them. Louis Yeung, at the Chinchilla and Pets shop on Hong Kong island, said he had about 20 hamsters in stock and was waiting for instructions. Only hamsters at the Little Boss pet shop in Causeway Bay seemed to be affected, with negative results for other animals there such as rabbits and chinchillas. "This is ridiculous," said Bowie, who already owned three other hamsters. The Winter Olympics will take place under even stricter conditions than those that were imposed during the Summer Games in Tokyo last year. A hamster lover holds on to the small animal as Hong Kong orders a cull of them. Hamsters at other pet shops are expected to be culled within the week. ordered more than 2,000 hamsters and other small mammals to be culled, shops selling hamsters were temporarily shut down, Hong Kong culls small mammals amid Covid concern, strict zero-Covid approach in line with mainland China, one of the few reported instances worldwide of infected animals spreading the virus to people. In late 2020, Denmark culled 17 million minks after a new mutation of the coronavirus was discovered on its mink farms. You cannot afford anything, he said, so I dont think there was any choice but to try to contain this outbreak in hamsters.. Anyone who bought a hamster after Dec. 22 is asked to surrender the animal to be tested and euthanized. Hong Kong authorities have been doing all they can to in their pursuit of the zero-COVID strategyincluding what some are callingGreat Hamster Massacre. Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, China objects to NATO labelling it a "threat" - embassy, Indonesia proposes demilitarised zone, UN referendum for Ukraine peace plan, U.S. defence chief tells China talks essential to avoid crisis, China's snub of U.S. military leader highlights escalation risk, Theatre in democratic Taiwan stages Hong Kong play about Tiananmen square, Heavy rains continue to hit Japan, suspending some trains, China and Russia ignore US call at UN to condemn North Korea launch, Wildfires spread in eastern Canada, forcing evacuations in coastal Quebec, Report of Wuhan-Disney talks was fake, Chinese official media says. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. For us, I think the policy was a bit rushed and not well planned, said El Chan, founder of the Society for Abandoned Animals. In response, they ordered the immediate suspension of hamster sales and imports of all rodents. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Hong Kong (AFP) - Time was running out for Pudding. VideoDo Russians really hate the West? Officials say it may be an example of animal-to-human Covid transmission. Do not kiss or abandon them on the streets.. A hamster surrendered to Hong Kong authorities by its owners has tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 2,200 hamsters have been culled, as the city grapples to contain an outbreak of the virus. Hong Kong, suspecting that imported hamsters may have spread Covid-19 to humans, ordered the culling of thousands of the small mammals, closed shops selling them and sent more than 100 pet shop . The average lifespan of a hamster is about two years, according to animal welfare groups. Buyers of hamsters after Dec. 22, 2021 were asked to hand them to authorities for culling and not leave them on streets. She urged people to avoid gatherings before next weeks lunar new year celebrations, to try to contain the Omicron variant. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Authorities ordered on Tuesday 2,000 hamsters from dozens of pet shops and storage facilities to be culled after tracing a coronavirus outbreak to a worker in the Little Boss petshop, where 11 hamsters subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. Hong Kong, which has a painful history of infectious disease, including nearly 300 deaths from SARS in 2003, has taken aggressive measures to cut the risk of animal transmissions in the past. The cull has sparked backlash from residents who have long lived with the absurd difficulties of Hong Kong's zero-covid policy. Meanwhile, an estimated 2,000 hamsters and other small animals are being culled in Hong Kong over what officials say may be the Chinese territory's first case of animal-to-human transmission,. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. "Pet owners should keep a good hygiene practice, including washing hands after touching the animals, handling their food or other items, and avoid kissing the animals," Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department director Leung Siu-fai Leung also told reporters. A UBS spokesperson declined to comment on the memo. Other NFT hamsters are seen wearing COVID-19 face shields and a yellow hard hatthe latter a symbol of Hong Kongs 2019 democracy protests. Two people and at least 11 hamsters connected to the Little Boss pet shop in Hong Kong tested positive for Covid. Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. UBS Group said in a note to its Hong Kong staff that it had decided to move to work-from-home operations for all except a minimum number of staff who have essential tasks to be completed in the office given the outbreak. Despite a public outcry against the crackdown, authorities urged people to continue to hand over their pets given the growing health risks. Earlier, a spokesman for Chief Executive Carrie Lam also criticized those who had sent intimidating messages to government advisers behind the hamster decision. Have no choice we have to make a firm decision bought a hamster in the and! From the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian news & Media Limited or its affiliated companies My Personal information,! The news been laid out for hamster owners information for tax, accounting and finance professionals to do worry. 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