(CNN) — Hong Kong authorities have placed a pet dog into quarantine after it tested a “weak positive” for the novel coronavirus, officials said on Friday.

A dog was handed over to the Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) after its owner was infected with the coronavirus, the department said in a statement.

Preliminary tests from the dog’s oral, nasal and rectal samples tested a “weak positive” but the “dog does not have any relevant symptoms," the AFCD said.

“At present, the AFCD does not have evidence that pet animals can be infected with COVID-19 virus or can be a source of infection to people,” the statement stresses. “The department will conduct close monitoring of the above dog and collect further samples for testing to confirm if the dog has really been infected with the virus or this is a result of environmental contamination of the dog's mouth and nose.”

This story was first published on CNN.