The government of Cyprus has decided to make available antiviral drugs to cats, which are given to humans to treat the coronavirus, in an effort to limit the coronavirus epidemic affecting felines on the island. Since the beginning of the year, Cyprus has been facing an epidemic of coronavirus in cats. On August 4, government spokesman Konstantinos Letympiotis announced the measure of administering antiviral drugs to the feline population, referring to a rapid increase in cases. According to the government decision, the antiviral drugs will be able to be collected from the guardian of the sick animal, from the offices of the veterinary services and after a prescription from a veterinarian.

Hundreds of thousands of cats are sick

With the population of cats being more than twice that of humans in Cyprus, it is estimated that since the beginning of the year hundreds of thousands of cats have fallen ill, while more than 8,000 cats have been hospitalized in veterinary clinics as cases of coronavirus. As veterinarian Dr. Marios Michael explains to DW, the epidemic broke out in Cyprus at the beginning of the year, when a mutation of the coronavirus strain appeared, which turns into infectious peritonitis (FIP). Symptoms of peritonitis include fever, jaundice and swelling in the abdomen. According to Dr. Michael, there were hundreds of cases of cats that were taken to veterinary clinics with symptoms of being hit by cars, but the tests finally showed that they were neurological problems caused by infectious peritonitis.

In terms of deaths, it is estimated that tens of thousands of cats have died as a result of infectious peritonitis, with estimates even reaching six figures (last week there was talk of 300,000 dead cats), which are however disputed since the exact total population in Cyprus is not determined by the authorities.

Introduction of specialized drugs

The government’s decision to make available drugs that were used to treat people who contracted the coronavirus is just one pillar of curbing the epidemic in cats. The second decision taken by the competent authorities concerns the approval of the importation of a preparation for veterinary use from the United Kingdom, which proved to be particularly effective in the treatment of FIP.

Speaking to DW, the vice-president of the Pancypriot Veterinary Association, Dimitris Epaminondas, expressed his satisfaction with the fact that the veterinarians of Cyprus now have two powerful weapons in their hands to control the epidemic and expressed the hope that the preparations available will prove to be effective. enough to cover the needs. He even noted that Cyprus is the only country that has approved two preparations for the treatment of sick animals.

However, there is concern within the veterinary community regarding the cost of treatments with the approved veterinary preparations from the United Kingdom since for the treatment of a cat, the cost can reach up to 7,000 euros. According to the testimonies of veterinarians, the high cost of these drugs has recently led more and more citizens to purchase cheap drugs, which are sold on the black market, on foreign websites.