TUMAKURU: We don't know if they looked sheepish but a team of vets on Tuesday drew throat and blood samples of the goats and sheep that were grazed by a shepherd who tested positive for COVID-19.
Like in the case of testing humans, the expert team clad in PPEs visited the animals at Jakkanahalli near Tiptur and also others that grazed alongside them at Gollarahatti hamlet in Godekere village of Chikkanayakanahalli taluk.
The samples will be sent through courier to the Animal Disease Investigation Laboratory in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Until the reports arrive in 10-15 days, the sheep will be under 'quarantine'.
Led by the deputy director of animal husbandry K G Nandeesh, the experts Dr Praveen and Manjunath conducted the operation.
Interestingly, about 50 animals originally grazed by the patient were asymptomatic whereas those which grazed alongside them were symptomatic. "But the symptoms might be due to some other disease and the possibility of the animals contracting COVID-19 is remote. Yet we are not taking any chances as only the results will establish the presence or absence of the virus," clarified Nandeesh.
About 100 sheep and goats have been affected but butchering of them has been restricted until further notice. It may be noted that the district minister J C Madhuswamy was particular about drawing the samples and quarantining the sheep.