Case Report

CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19)

AND PETS IN PANDEMIC SITUATION; A CASE SERIES OF 15 PATIENTS

Hamong Suharsono1, Ketut Suryana2, Wayan Wahyu Semara Putra3,

Ni Made Dwita Yaniswari3, Ida Bagus Ngurah Rai4, Ida Ayu Ngurah Artayati5,
Wayan Ernawati5, Ketut Ayu Sugiantari5
1
Department of Biochemistry, Veterinary Faculty of Udayana University of Denpasar,
Bali, Indonesia
2
Department of Internal Medicine at Wangaya Hospital in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
3
Department of Pulmonology at Wangaya Hospital in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
4
Department of Pulmonology, Faculty of Udayana University / Sanglah Hospital of
Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
5
The COVID-19 Team at Wangaya Hospital in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.

Corespondence: Hamong Suharsono

Email: ridhosuharsono@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute infectious respiratory disease which
is a novel coronavirus as a causative agent. This disease began in Wuhan, China since
December 2019 and it spreads worldwide with devastating on many aspects of human
life. The main routes of transmission are considered respiratory droplets and close human
to human contact. It might occur if a human contact an object that has the virus and then
touches their own mouth, nose or their eyes. Although there has no evidence exists of
pets or other animals to be sick with COVID-19, the people with COVID-19 have to
restrict the contact with their pets. Herein we present 15 adult patients with COVID-19
whom were hospitalized at Wangaya Hospital, in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.

Key Words: COVID-19, Public Health, Environmental, Pets.

INTRODUCTION
The novel corona virus 2019 (2019 – n CoV) which is now commonly known as
the COVID-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019), occurred in Wuhan, China and formerly
was known as Novel Corona virus Pneumonia, NCP). World Health Organization (WHO)
on 17 February 2020 reported that COVID-19 has been spreading to around of the world
affected to 25 other countries 1,2.
The COVID-19 incubation period is about 1 to 14 days, mostly 3-7 days and the main
routes of transmission are considered respiratory droplets and close human to human
contact (within 1 meters). Transmission possibly occurs if a human contact an object that
has the virus on it and then touches their own mouth, nose or their eyes 3-5. There is
lack evidence that animals can be infected with SARS-CoV-2 and there is no evidence
that dogs or cats can be the infection source of COVID-19 and infected to other humans
or animals. The WHO expresses that the present spread of COVID-19 is an aftereffect of
human to human transmission, COVID-19 patient should to confine contact with other
human, pets and different animals, maintain to keep up great hand hygiene practice, for
example, washing hands when collaborating with pets and to wear a facemask. [6-8].
We present the public health features include pets, environmental condition that
might be giving an importance contribution in face COVID-19 outbreaks.

CASE PRESENTATIONS
We present 15 adult cases of COVID-19 whom were admitted at Wangaya
Hospital in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia as described in Table 1.

Table1. The characteristic data of 15 adult cases with COVID-19 infection (N = 15)

Patient Age Sex Occupation In-House Contact History to COVID-19 patients, Pets
(year) Interaction visited to pandemic area (Dog,Cat)

Patient 1 33 Male Sailor With family Visited to pandemic area Dog

Patient 2 30 Female House wife With family Contact history to COVID-19 patient No pet

Patient 3 50 Female House wife With family Contact history to COVID-19 patient No Pet

Patient 4 30 Male Sailor .With family .Visited to pandemic area Cat

Patient 5 36 Male Sailor Alone Contact history to COVID-19 patient Cat

Patient 6 24 Female Student Alone Contact history to COVID-19 patient Cat

Patient 7 25 Male Student Alone Contact history to COVID-19 patient No Pet

Patient 8 53 Female Shop Keeper With family Contact history to COVID-19 patient Cat

Patient 9 57 Female House wife With family Contact history to COVID-19 patient Cat

Patient 10 30 Female House wife With family Contact history to COVID-19 patient Cat

Patient 11 36 Female Employee With family Unclear Dog

Patient 12 35 Male Employee With family Contact history to COVID-19 patient Cat

Patient 13 56 Male Farmer With family Unclear Cat

Patient 14 38 Male Employee With family Unclear Cat

Patient 15 40 Male Teacher With family Unclear No Pet

COVID= Coronavirus Disease WBC= White Blood Cells RT-PCR= Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction

A total of 15 patients with the range of age 24-57 year-old, 8(53.33%) patients, male and
7 (46.67%) patients, female. About the occupation, commonly is house wife 4 (26.67%),
followed by sailors and employees, each 3 (20.00%), 2 (13.33%) are students, shop
keeper, teacher and farmer each 1 (6.67%). The In-house Interaction, 12 (80.00%)
patients stay with family, 3 (20.00%) patients stay alone.

Most of them have contact history to COVID-19 patients, 9 (60.00%), visited to

pandemic area 2 (13.33%) and unclear is about 4 (26.67%). Twelve (80.00%) have pets
with 10 (83,5%) have cats, 2 (16.67%) have dogs and 3(20.00%) patients have no pet
(Table 1).

DISCUSSION
Herein, we reported fifteen 24-57 years old COVID-19 hospitalized patients at
Wangaya hospital in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. The youngest case is 24 years old and
case of 57 year old is the oldest, which are 8 (53.33%) male patients and 7 (46.67%)
patients, female. WHO recommends that large scale Public health and social measures
(PHSM) include environmental and physical distancing would be implemented optimally
[10]. In this case series, the patients were suspected to have some problem due to their
in-house interaction (environmental and physical distancing), mostly they stay with the
family 10 (76.92%), and only 3 (23.08 %) stay alone.
PHSM such as movement restrictions with physical distancing, international travel
restrictions, closure of businesses and schools, geographical area quarantine would be
performed maximally [7,10].
We found: most of the cases are house wife: 4 (30.77 %), then followed by sailor: 3
(23.08 %), employee: 3 (23.08%) and shop keeper: 1 (7.70%), student: 2 (15.38%),
farmer: 1 (7.70%).
International travel restrictions and close person to person contact have been
implemented by a number of countries [6,10,12]. This study found the history of contact
to COVID-19 patients or having visited to pandemic area : 9 (69.23%), 2 (15.38%) have
visited to pandemic area and unclear: 2 (15.38%).
Can the humans get COVID-19 from their pets?. There is still limited evidence
that the corona virus is spread by pets and companion animals to humans. According to
WHO, the present spread of COVID-19 is human to human transmission. There is no
investigation discovered that dogs, cats and some other pets have a role in spreading
COVID-19. Consequently, need more research to convey to realize the transmission
among pets and humans [6,8,10,12]. We found in this study, most of them have pets: 10
(79.92%) and 3 (23.08%) have no pet. Mostly the patients have Cats 80.00% and 20.00%
have Dogs. Based on the limited data, we may not conclude yet that pets get infected by
SARS-CoV-2 or to be sick with COVID-19. If any pets develop an unexplained illness
and have been exposed to a person with COVID-19, we should inform to the public
health official working or public health veterinarian. They will advise to take the pet to a
veterinary clinic. It's currently considered COVID-19 spreading from human to human
however respiratory droplets created when an infected people coughs or wheezes. There
is limited study that pets such as dogs and cats can become infected with SARS-CoV-2
[9-12].
Although most of the patients have pets, there is lack evidence that pets have a role in
the epidemiology of COVID-19. Maintain a good hygiene practices should be done by
the entire clinical team throughout the veterinary interaction, particularly if conducting
with an animal that has been in contact with an infected person. There are constrained
reports of pet or different animals getting wiped out with COVID-19. Pet owners should
be less contact with their animals and always wash the hands before and after interaction
with animals.

CONCLUSIONS
Generally, in light of the constrained data, no significant evidence exists to
recommend that pets or different animals can be the source of disease with SARS-CoV-2,
including spreading COVID-19 to people. However, the COVID - 19 patient should to
confine contact with others, pets and different animals, guarantee to keep on maintain the
hand hygiene practices, for example, washing hands when connecting with pets and
wearing a facemask.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The author appreciates to COVID-19 Team at Wangaya Hospital in Denpasar,
Bali, Indonesia. All the staffs in Merak Wards COVID-19 Centre for a good team work.
The author would also like to thank to the patients and their family, Director Wangaya
Hospital for all the supports.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Hamong Suharsono made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition
of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it
critically for important intellectual content; gave final approval of the version to be
published; and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Ketut Suryana work
took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content;
gave final approval of the version to be published; and agreed to be accountable for all
aspects. Wayan Wahyu Semara Putra and Ni Made Dwita Yaniswari revised it critically
for important intellectual content; gave final approval of the version to be published; and
agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Ida Bagus Ngurah Rai gave final
approval of the version to be published; and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of
the work. Ida Ayu Ngurah Artayati, Wayan Ernawati and Ketut Ayu Sugiantari took part
in collecting data, drafting and review the article or revising it critically for important
intellectual content.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declared that there is no conflict of interest related to this study.

AUTHOR’S FUNDING
The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.

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