Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

The owners of these pooches and moggies are taking no chances amid the coronavirus scare – as their beloved pets have donned these special masks amid the outbreak.

Reports indicate that the virus originally spread to man from infected animals, with the virus being linked to people who came into contact or ate bats and more recently armoured pangolins.

Scientists believe the virus mutated from these animals, as the form now infecting humans is very similar to the form the virus, officially named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization, has when present in both animals.

This has meant that many people are concerned that their pets might also be likely to be infected, although scientists warn the risks are small.

The WHO said that been no reported cases of the coronavirus in domestic animals although that does not rule out that it could happen, saying only: “At present, there is no evidence that companion animals/pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus.

But China’s National health commission took a different stance noting that it was a possibility, with spokesman and epidemiologist Li Lanjuan saying: “If pets go out and have contact with an infected person, they have the chance to get infected. By then, pets need to be isolated. In addition to people, we should be careful with other mammals especially pets.”

With regards to facemasks, the difficulty of making masks for human faces fit pets mean that they are probably uncomfortable and as practical protection and have little effect. However, this is not stopping people trying, as these pictures show. And there is also a boom in masks specifically created for pets, with sales 10 times what they were previously according to retailers.

The most popular picture shows this cat with a face mask with two holes cut out in order to make eyes to protect it from the virus which has killed more than a thousand and infected around 43,000 others worldwide.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.