A particular strain of coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the cat population on ‘cat island’ Cyprus. The disease, a feline variant of the coronavirus, has swiftly spread across the island in recent months. (Modafinil) The coronavirus type known as Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) has severely impacted the island’s cats, the majority of which are strays and are known for their human-friendly nature.
According to AFP news agency, the disease has already killed a substantial number of felines on the “island of cats” and is spreading through cat populations in neighboring Lebanon, Israel, and Turkey.
Can the feline coronavirus cause harm to humans? Should you be concerned? Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)?
Feline infectious peritonitis, according to the Cornell University website, is a viral disease in cats caused by certain strains of the feline coronavirus.
While the majority of feline coronavirus strains, known as feline enteric coronavirus (FeCV), detected in the gastrointestinal tract do not cause substantial disease, in some cases it can progress to the deadly disease known as FIPV.
According to the website, the virus can evolve in around 10% of FeCV-infected cats, infecting white blood cells and spreading throughout the cat’s body. This causes a severe inflammatory response, most typically in the belly, kidney, or brain, which leads to the development of FIP.
Once a cat gets clinical FIP, the disease is usually progressive and deadly.
Is FIP a threat to humans?
The COVID-19 virus, which brought the globe to its knees a few years ago, is commonly thought to have originated in bats and crossed the species barrier into humans.
The World Health Organization also cautioned last year that as climate change leads to rapidly changing weather patterns, animals, humans, and even viruses and infections are changing their behavior.
At the time, WHO’s emergencies director Mike Ryan, who oversees the organization’s response to disease outbreaks, humanitarian crises, and other public health emergencies, cautioned that illnesses that normally infect animals are now infecting humans due to “ecological fragility.”
So, could the feline coronavirus cross the species barrier and infect humans? Fortunately, no.
According to Cornell’s Feline Health Center, “To our knowledge, coronaviruses cannot be passed from infected cats to humans.” AFP too reports that the virus is not transmissible to humans. However, as per a Cyprus-based animal lover, it may soon turn Cyprus into “the island of dead cats”.
Feline coronavirus kills 300,000 cats in Cyprus
According to AFP, two therapy methods are being examined to slow the growth of FIP.
One example is molnupiravir, an anti-Covid medication that regulators believe cannot be used on animals in Cyprus. The other alternative is GS-441524, an antiviral pill identical to the COVID-19 medication remdesivir that is approved for use in animals in the United Kingdom but is not widely available in Cyprus due to its expensive price of 3,000 to 7,000 euros (approximately $3,300-$7,700) per cat.
Demetris Epaminondas, deputy president of the Pancyprian Veterinary Association, told AFP that attempts are underway to secure official approval for molnupiravir, which would cost less than 200 euros per cat.
To address the issue, the Cyprus agriculture ministry stated that it is investigating several pharmaceutical treatments available on the European market.
Meanwhile, some desperate pet owners have reportedly resorted to obtaining medicines on the illegal market, risking legal repercussions in order to preserve their cherished animals.
One Cypriot told AFP under the condition of anonymity: “We bought our medicines on the black market online, or from Facebook groups. But we keep our suppliers secret so that we can continue to treat our animals.”
The agriculture ministry has identified 107 FIP cases in the southern half of the island. However, animal rights activists allege that the true number of cats killed by the disease is significantly greater, with an estimated 300,000 cats lost since January.
The spreading nature of FIP has made it difficult to diagnose and document, especially given the island’s high population of stray cats. According to experts, the cat population in Cyprus equals or even exceeds the human population of slightly more than one million people. Dinos Ayiomamitis, head of Cats PAWS Cyprus and vice-president of Cyprus Voice for Animals, thinks that a third of the cats in the southern half of the island have died from the virus.
As the FIP outbreak spreads, there are fears that Cyprus may become known as “the island of dead cats.” Animal groups and doctors are urging immediate action to address the crisis and safeguard the cherished feline population on the island.
