Rats in the UK could potentially transmit coronavirus to humans, but the risk to the general public is 'very low', according to a scientific paper published by government advisers on SAGE. The paper, dated 7 April 2021 and released on 23 April, was produced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). It warns that newer variants of the virus, such as the Kent and South African strains, may be more likely to infect rodents due to a mutation called N501Y, which increases transmissibility.
The researchers found that rats can catch the virus from humans, potentially through contact with sewage or rubbish, and could then spread it among themselves, leading to 'sustained population level transmission'. However, they said rodent-to-human transmission is only likely for people in close occupational contact with wild rodents, such as sewage workers, bin collectors, landfill workers, or pest controllers. The paper states: 'The level of contact between humans and rats which could potentially lead to new cases is very low for the general population and restricted mainly to occupational exposure.'
The paper also notes that the likelihood of rats catching the virus from human waste is probably high, given the large amounts of rubbish and sewage produced in the UK and the high rat population. However, it concludes that the risk of an outbreak leading to human-to-human transmission depends on factors such as population immunity, vaccine efficacy, and circulating variants.
Separately, a study by the University of Glasgow confirmed that cats can catch Covid from their owners. Two cases were reported: a four-month-old Ragdoll kitten that was put down after contracting the virus from its owner during the first wave, and a six-year-old Siamese cat that recovered. The scientists said there is no evidence that pets can spread the virus to humans, but the connection warrants further investigation.
