Thread by @DrEricDing

BREAKING—Hong Kong suspects hamsters in the first animal-to-human transmission in 🇭🇰—will now cull 2,000 hamsters. Pet shops & owners ordered to hand over all hamsters bought since Dec 22 out of concern a pet shop employee was infected with Delta variant. scmp.com/news/hong-kong…

2) Officials made the order on Tuesday after 11 samples taken from hamsters came back positive and two more human infections emerged linked to a pet store. A shopkeeper was earlier diagnosed as the city’s first untraceable Delta infection in more than three months.

3) The animals would be tested before euthanisation, authorities said.
Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Dr Leung Siu-fai announced that all owners who had bought hamsters since December 22 would have to turn over the animals.

4) “We have assessed the risks of these batches are relatively high and therefore made the decision based on public health needs,” Leung said. “We urge all pet owners to observe strict hygiene when handling their pets and cages. Do not kiss or abandon them on the streets.”

5) The Delta infection was first reported on Sunday and involves a 23-year-old woman who worked at the Little Boss pet shop.

A source earlier said the current evidence suggested it could be the first coronavirus transmission from animals to humans in Hong Kong.

6) “Genome sequencing [done on the worker’s virus sample] found that the genome type was the one circulating in Europe & Pakistan. There is a chance [of infection] through hamsters imported from the Netherlands, which also had that genome type [found on the worker].

7) “That’s why it’s very likely that the transmission this time is from animals to humans.”