8 Asiatic lions in Hyderabad zoo test Covid-19 positive

In perhaps the first such reported incident eight Asiatic lions in Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad tested positive for Covid19 after their saliva samples were examined by CSIRCentre for Cellular and Molecular Biology said Rakesh Mishra advisor of the premier research Institute on TuesdayThe Union Environment Ministry said the infection was not caused by any variant of concern adding all the eight lions since isolated have responded well to the treatment and were recovering There was no factual evidence that animals can transmit the disease to humans it addedThe saliva samples of the Asiatic lions were thoroughly tested and they turned out to be positive As they were living closely it must have been spread among them Mishra told P T INow we are developing a method to test the samples of their faeces This method would be useful in future as every time it is not possible to collect saliva samples from wild animals he addedHe added that the virus which is present in the lions at the Nehru Zoological Park here is not any new variantThey have mild symptoms They are eating well and they are fine he saidReplying to a query he said there is every possibility of animals contracting the virus as they are also mammals like human beings Mishra further said these animals must have got infected through zookeeping staffA senior official of the zoo said they keep sending the samples of the animals to CCMB from time to time for analysisAs the lions started showing symptoms such as fever the zoo officials collected the samples and sent them to CCMB The official further said the samples from the wild animals will be collected either by Squeeze cage method or by tranquilising themIn the squeeze cage method the animal will be confined in a cage without any space so that it cannot move or resist while taking samplesMeanwhile the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change said that the infected animals were behaving normallyBased on detailed diagnostic tests and report as shared by CCMBLaCONES Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species on May 4 it has been confirmed that the eight Asiatic lions housed in NZP have tested positive for SARSCoV2 virus it saidThe eight lions have been isolated Due care and necessary treatment has been provided All the eight lions have responded well to the treatment and were recovering They are behaving normally and eating well Preventive measures are already in place for all zoo staff and the zoo has been closed to visitors to avoid minimal external contact it said in a releaseIn view of rapid spread of the coronavirus in the country the Ministry recently issued an advisory to close all zoological parks national parks tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries for visitors till further orders to control the spread of the pandemicAccordingly the zoo here Kakatiya Zoological Park Warangal Kawal and Amrabad Tiger Reserves all National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Telangana were closed from May 2As part of next steps new guidelines for Covid19 precautions are being further developed in consultation with experts Additional information shall be issued as warranted the release saidBased on experience with zoo animals elsewhere in the world that tested positive for the virus last year there is no factual evidence that animals can transmit the disease to humans any further it saidAccording to published reports earlier lions and tigers had tested positive for Covid19 in zoos in Barcelona Spain and Bronx in the USThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever