The study showed that the animals, which are kept in their millions on commercial farms across China, are susceptible to infection and readily transmit the virus to other raccoon dogs in close proximity.

Animals that were intranasally inoculated with SARS-CoV-2 quickly became infected and went on to transmit the virus to direct contact animals.

The findings support the implementation of adequate surveillance and risk mitigation strategies for both farmed and wild raccoon dogs, they add.