After lioness dies in Chennai zoo, nine lions test positive for Covid-19

Mangalore Today News Network

Chennai, Jun 04, 2021:    A lioness in Vandalur zoo on the outskirts of Chennai is suspected to have died of Covid-19 infection. According to a press release issued by the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur on May 26, five lions housed in the Safari Park Area of the zoo were reported to show loss of appetite and occasional coughing.

 

The lions were immediately attended to by the zoo’s in-house veterinary team. Moreover, on the request of the zoo authorities, a team of experts was also deputed by TANUVAS to help the veterinarians in the zoo to investigate the condition of the lions.

The blood samples, nasal swab, rectal swab and faecal samples of 11 lions were sent to National Institute of High Security Diseases (NIHSAD) Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and of the 11 samples, nine samples have come back positive.

Meanwhile, a nine-year-old lioness named Neela, who was housed in another place in the zoo, died on June 3. The lioness is said to have been asymptotic and showed some nasal discharge only the day before her death and had been symptomatically treated immediately.

Vandalur zoo authorities said, "As per the laboratory test results furnished by the Institute, samples in respect of nine lions of the 11 sent, have tested positive for SARS COV-2. In order to ascertain whether or not the reported findings are in the nature of false positives or the animal could have died of comorbidities, samples have also been sent on 4.6.2021 to the Indian Veterinary Research institute Bareilly and the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad."

"All the lions which have tested positive are under close observation and on prescribed treatment regimen by the in-house veterinary team in close co - ordination with expert team from TANUVAS," further added the statement.

All animal keepers and helpers for these animal houses are vaccinated against Covid-19. Separate set of animal keepers are engaged for each group of lions. PPE kits are mandatory for the animal keepers, veterinary doctors and field staff visiting the area. Vandalur zoo has sought the help of the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases and the Hyderabad zoo for the treatment protocol as a few lions at Hyderabad zoo had contracted the disease earlier.

The Vandalur zoo, which houses 13 lions, has been closed since the lockdown began in the state. It is still uncertain how the lions contracted the SARS COV-2 virus.

Top sources in the High Security Animal Disease lab in Bhopal have confirmed that a letter confirming the development has been sent to chief secretary of Tamil Nadu, director Zoo and the Union government.

Back in May, eight lions in Hyderabad’s Nehru Zoological Park who were showing signs of respiratory distress were tested and found to be Covid-19 positive.

Courtesy:India Today