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'Very little risk' that pets can infect owners with COVID, WHO says

A logo of the World Health Organization (WHO), is seen before a news conference in Geneva

GENEVA (Reuters) - There is 'very little risk' that pets can infect their owners with COVID-19, the chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

Soumya Swaminathan, WHO chief scientist, told a Geneva news conference that felines, ferrets and "even tigers" have been infected with the disease.

"There is very little risk from domestic animals because there was some concern about domestic animals becoming a source of infection," she said.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay, Mike Shields and Jo Mason)