The World Health Organization reminds the public not to expose animals when diagnosed with the monkeypox disease following the detection of an infected dog.
The WHO says this is the first case of human-to-dog transmission of the virus.
RELATED STORY: Monkeypox not an international public health emergency: WHO
Medical journal Lancet reported that the first case of the infected dog came from two men who are living together and own an Italian greyhound.
“This is the first case reported of human-to-animal transmission… and we believe it is the first instance of a canine being infected,” Rosamund Lewis, the WHO’s technical lead for monkeypox, said in a media briefing.
Monkeypox patients are advised to isolate their pets to avoid transmission.
READ ON: No need to delay opening of classes due to monkeypox – DOH
“The more dangerous situation… is where a virus can move into a small mammal population with high density of animals,” WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told reporters.
“It is through the process of one animal infecting the next and the next and the next that you see rapid evolution of the virus,” he added.
