Thousands Of Felines Die In Cyprus As Vets Turn To Human Drug For Treatment

Topline

In an effort to eradicate a deadly feline coronavirus that has claimed the lives of numerous cats in Cyprus and continues to pose a threat, sick cats on the island are now being treated with human Covid-19 drugs. This development offers a glimmer of hope for Cyprus’s renowned feline population.

A coronavirus is killing thousands of cats in Cyprus,

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Key Facts

Veterinarians began administering molnupiravir, an anti-Covid drug marketed as Lagevrio, to cats in Cyprus on International Cat Day, Tuesday.

Experts are hopeful that the drug, which was initially designed to treat Covid-19 in humans and sourced from a stockpile meant for that purpose, will prove effective in containing the outbreak of feline coronavirus (FCoV-23) that has been devastating the cat population since January.

This particular virus, which cannot be transmitted to humans and is distinct from the human coronavirus causing Covid-19, is widespread among cats, spreads through feces, and normally causes no symptoms or only mild illness like diarrhea.

Some strains of feline coronavirus can lead to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a nearly always fatal condition if left untreated. Experts believe that a mutated and highly virulent strain of the feline coronavirus is driving the current outbreak.

Research suggests that molnupiravir can aid in the recovery from FIP for most cats. Christodoulos Pipis, the director of the government’s veterinary services, informed The Guardian that around 2,000 packages of the drug, totaling 80,000 pills, will be distributed to veterinarians in the coming weeks to combat the virus.

Officials have stated that cat owners will be able to obtain the drug from veterinarians at a cost of approximately $2.74 per pill, following a formal examination and diagnosis.

What We Don’t Know

The exact number of cats that have succumbed to the coronavirus outbreak remains uncertain. This is largely due to the lack of precise data regarding the overall cat population in Cyprus, which is known for its significant population of feral or stray cats. Estimates suggest that there are over 1 million cats on the island, potentially outnumbering humans. The Cat Protection and Welfare Society and other activist groups estimate that around 300,000 cats (both domestic and feral) have died since January. However, the accuracy of this figure, which was based on an estimated mortality rate of 20-30%, remains unverified by independent sources. Local veterinarians question the veracity of this estimate and suggest a lower figure of approximately 8,000 deaths in the first half of the year.

What to Watch For

The emergence of the mutant coronavirus strain in Cyprus has alerted veterinarians worldwide to the possibility of similar outbreaks. There are already reports from veterinarians of an increase in FIP cases in areas with large populations of feral cats, such as Lebanon, Turkey, and Israel, as reported by The Guardian.

Tangent

Costas Himonas, a senior pharmacist at the Cyprus health ministry, has reassured that utilizing the human drug stockpile will not compromise the island’s ability to respond in the event of a new surge in Covid cases.