Boris Johnson was convinced his dog Dilyn caught Covid and consulted the UK’s top scientists
>
Boris Johnson was convinced his dog Dilyn contracted Covid and consulted the UK’s leading scientists about how to test her for human antibodies.
- He said he believes his Jack Russell-cross contracted Covid at the same time as him in March 2020.
- Mr. Hancock wrote in the diary that Mr. Johnson consulted a leading scientist for help.
- The first pet to test positive was a 17-year-old Pomeranian in March 2020.
Boris Johnson was convinced his dog Dilyn had contracted coronavirus in the early days of the pandemic, Matt Hancock’s diaries reveal.
The former prime minister is said to have believed his Jack Russell cross fought the disease at the same time as him, in March 2020.
Hancock wrote in his diary that Johnson went so far as to consult the country’s leading scientists about Dilyn’s condition, asking if he needed a test for human antibodies.
“There was a long, awkward pause while Patrick Vallance [chief scientific adviser] and the teacher [Chris Whitty, chief medical officer] I tried to figure out if he was joking or if we needed to summon the chief vet for a considered response,” Hancock wrote. Finally, the professor broke the silence. “I don’t know if human antibody testing would be appropriate,” he replied diplomatically.
Boris Johnson was convinced his dog Dilyn had contracted coronavirus in the early days of the pandemic, Matt Hancock’s diaries reveal
Some dogs have caught Covid, but it is very rare.
Despite repeated assurances from the UK Government and the UK Health Insurance Agency that the chances of pets contracting covid were slim, there have been some notable cases of animals contracting the disease during the pandemic.
The first pet to test positive for Covid was a 17-year-old Pomeranian dog in March 2020, who had just arrived in Hong Kong. He later died.
Scientists at the Ralph Veterinary Reference Center in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, confirmed two Covid infections in cats and one in a dog between January and February 2021.
The dog is said to have suffered from lethargy, loss of appetite and diarrhea during the infection.
One sphynx cat fainted or passed out when it had the virus, while a domestic shorthair cat was reported to be lethargic. However, the UK government confirmed the first case of a pet dog with Covid on November 3, 2020.
Britain’s former Prime Minister arrives with this dog Dilyn to vote at Methodist Central Hall in central London for local government elections on May 5.