Veterinarians in Cyprus are lauding a government decision to allow its stock of human COVID-19 medication to be used against a feline virus that has killed thousands of cats on the Mediterranean island
By
MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS Associated Press
FILE – A cat crosses a pedestrian road at the main linear park, in the capital Nicosia, Cyprus, on July 19, 2023. Cyprus’ veterinarians association on Friday Aug. 4, 2023 lauded a government decision to allow its stock of human coronavirus medication to be used on cats to fight a local mutation of a feline virus that has killed thousands of animals on the Mediterranean island. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias, File)
The Associated Press
NICOSIA, Cyprus —
Cyprus’ veterinarians association on Friday lauded a government decision to allow its stock of human coronavirus medication to be used on cats to fight a local mutation of a feline virus that has killed thousands of animals on the Mediterranean island but can’t be transmitted to people.
The association said in a statement that it had petitioned the government for access to the medication at “reasonable prices” from the beginning of this year, when the mutation that causes lethal Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) began to noticeably crop up in the island’s cat population.
“We want to assure that we will continue to investigate and control the rise in case of FCov-2023,” the association said.
Cyprus Veterinary Services head Hristodoulos Pipis told the state broadcaster Friday that cat owners can receive medication in pill form at 2.5 euros ( $2.74) for each pill at their local veterinarian’s office following a formal examination and diagnosis.
The medication’s brand name is Lagevrio and its active ingredient is Molnupiravir. Veterinarians Association President Nektaria Ioannou Arsenoglou told The Associated Press that humans cannot contract the mutated feline virus, which isn’t related to COVID-19.
Health Ministry senior pharmacist Costas Himonas told the AP that 2,000 packages of the drug will be made available to veterinarians incrementally over the next month. Himonas said there’s no risk that current pharmaceutical stocks will be depleted to the point treatment of any COVID-19 surge in people would be compromised.
Local animal activists had claimed that the mutation had killed as many as 300,000 cats, but Arsenoglou says that’s an exaggeration.
Arsenoglou had said an association survey of 35 veterinary clinics