Ask HN: Can virus spread through rats or dogs?
- humans
- mink
- cats
- it originally came from bats, via something else (perhaps pangolin)
- hamsters
- guinea pigs
So, given that we have seen this many species, it seems plausible that it can infect other mammalian species we don't know about. Perhaps even common urban ones, such as raccoons, coyotes, possums, hedgehogs, etc. Fortunately the experiments done on lab rats thus far suggest that it cannot infect rats, and although it can infect dogs it does not seem to do a good job of being transmitted from dogs so that would not be an effective vector.
However...
Given that we have a new variant which seems to be more infectious, it seems plausible to wonder if it is better not at passing between humans, but rather better at passing from human to rat to human, or else from human to dog to dog to human. The new variant may be an adaptation to widespread lockdowns, by using other animal vectors better in order to get from house to house.
It's an interesting idea, but I don't know of any data source to discredit (or confirm) it. So, being as HN has a lot of smart people in different industries, I'm throwing the question out there to see if anyone else knows any data on how the new covid-19 variant seen in the UK (and elsewhere) behaves in other species? The data may not exist, but if there is anyone who knows of a public source related to it, I would love to know about it. Especially, you know, if it disproves this idea.
Btw, I'm not looking for a "there's no evidence of that" kind of response, I'm looking for a source for evidence, either for or against.