The World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Animal Health Organization issued a joint statement on the spread of COVID-19 among animals.
The statement said the virus was observed to be transmitted from person to person, as well as to some animal species.
“The virus can also be transmitted to farm animals or wild animals such as big cats, mink, weasels and white-tailed deer, especially domestic animals such as cats and dogs,” it said.
Of these animals, it was noted that the possibility of white-tailed deer infecting humans is currently being studied.
Concern was expressed that the entry of the COVID-19 epidemic into wildlife could create crowded animal basins infected in nature.
Infection of the white-tailed deer in the U.S.
As a result of the WHO’s investigations, it was reported that one-third of the white-tailed deer in the U.S. were transmitted by humans to the virus that causes COVID-19.
It was determined that this virus was also transmitted to some people in settlements close to the natural area where white-tailed deer are found.
In the statement, the three organizations called on all countries to take measures to reduce the risk of virus circulation between animals and humans and the risk of COVID-19 evolving in infected animals.
