- Title: Tiger at New York's Bronx Zoo tests positive for coronavirus
- Date: 6th April 2020
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 6, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MASKED PEOPLE STANDING NEAR TENTS SET UP IN BRONX ZOO PARKING LOT
- Embargoed: 20th April 2020 18:32
- Keywords: Bronx Zoo COVID-19 Nadia animals coronavirus
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES / UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION
- Country: USA
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA007C8CU2IV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in the first known case of a human infecting an animal and making it sick, the zoo's chief veterinarian said.
Nadia, the 4-year-old Malayan tiger that tested positive, was screened for the COVID-19 disease after developing a dry cough along with three other tigers and three lions, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the zoo.
"These cats were coughing some were wheezing. And when Nadia had that for a few days and then started going off food, we immobilized her, which is an anesthesia procedure in order to treat her and to find out what was wrong," said Paul Calle (pronounced: Cal-ee), chief veterinarian at the Bronx Zoo.
But officials believe this is a unique case because Nadia became sick after exposure to an asymptomatic zoo employee. Calle said they did not know which employee infected the tiger.
Nadia underwent X-rays, an ultrasound and blood tests to try to figure out what was ailing her. They decided to test for COVID-19 given the surge in cases in New York City, the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States.
The first tiger at the zoo, which has been shut since mid-March, began showing signs of illness on March 27, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratories, which performed the test.
Calle said the other tigers and lions are expected to "fully recover," but more animals could be infected.
"I bet you there's more lions and tigers out there that have been affected, infected and affected by the disease. They just didn't get very sick or there wasn't the right chain of circumstances to get the testing done. So I have a hunch in the coming days and weeks there will be other instances of similar infections in those species."
The virus that causes COVID-19 is believed to have spread from animals to humans, and a handful of animals have tested positive in Hong Kong.
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