In a unique approach, Cyprus plans to repurpose 80,000 anti-COVID pills originally meant for humans to instead treat sick cats on the island. The highly contagious strain of feline coronavirus, known as FCov-2023, was discovered earlier this year in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. This strain, although not harmful to humans, quickly spread across the island, affecting even indoor cats. Feline coronavirus is transmitted through contact with cat feces and can cause feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a potentially fatal condition if left untreated. While previous epidemics of feline coronavirus subsided without the need for medication, this new strain poses a greater threat.
The veterinarians will now have access to Molnupiravir, the active ingredient in the anti-COVID pills, which has shown efficacy in treating FIP in cats. These pills will be available for purchase by cat owners at a cost of $2.74 each, following a diagnosis. The medication has a success rate of approximately 85% in treating affected cats. Surprisingly, there is a significant discrepancy in estimates of the cat death toll caused by FCov-2023, with area vets reporting 8,000 deaths in the first half of the year and the Cat Protection and Welfare Society of Cyprus citing 300,000 deaths. The Health Ministry assures that sufficient quantities of anti-COVID pills will remain in stock to address any potential outbreak among humans. (Read more cat stories.)
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