While COVID cases are going up in humans lately, animals have to worry about the virus too — and sick wildlife pose a threat to humans, because they can spread pathogens back and forth, giving them the opportunity to evolve new, more infectious mutations. A number of species can be infected with COVID-19, from deer and mink to dogs and rats.
A recent study finds that almost half of the species examined in Virginia were either previously or are currently infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. The authors suspect the animals were originally infected by humans.
