Hong Kong to cull 2,000 hamsters after COVID-19 outbreak

HONG KONG — Hong Kong warned people not to kiss pets and ordered a mass cull of hamsters on Tuesday, to the outrage of animal-lovers, after 11 of the rodents tested positive for COVID-19. A recent coronavirus cluster in humans traced to a pet shop worker prompted checks on hundreds of animals in the Chinese-ruled territory, with 11 hamsters found infected, officials said. Echoing the mainland’s zero-tolerance policy even as much of the world shifts to living with COVID, Hong Kong ordered 2,000 hamsters “humanely” put down, and imports and sales stopped. Various pet shops were shuttered and disinfected around…