Duisburg animal shelter confirms parvovirus outbreak

Pathology results have confirmed that ten cats died from parvovirus, a highly contagious and often fatal disease, at the Duisburg animal shelter. The outbreak led the facility to implement a temporary ban on new cat admissions on August 22.

Shelter director Lutz Kaczmarsch stated that the virus strain specifically affects cats and poses no danger to dogs or other animals. While ten cats have died, several others required intensive care at the Asterlagen veterinary clinic. Kaczmarsch noted that the situation could have been more severe if the outbreak had not been identified promptly, though he expressed regret that isolation measures were not possible to save more animals.

At the start of the outbreak, the shelter was housing 185 cats. The staff has faced a difficult period due to the emotional toll of the losses.