Lions at Zagreb zoo catch COVID from their keeper

Two lions on the Zagreb zoo have examined optimistic for COVID-19 that that they had contracted from their keeper, officers mentioned on Wednesday.

These are the primary confirmed circumstances of the illness in zoo animals in Croatia, an agriculture ministry assertion mentioned.

Laboratory exams on samples taken from the 2 animals after that they had developed signs of the illness confirmed that they’ve COVID-19, it mentioned.

The huge cats, who’re present process medical treatment, caught the an infection from their keeper who was additionally examined afterwards and was optimistic, head of the zoo Damir Skok mentioned.

“The zookeeper in addition to (lions) Leo and Ayana are superb.

“They sneeze and cough occasionally” and are recovering, he informed native media.

Zoo guests can’t contract the coronavirus from the lions as they’re stored behind a glass fence, he added.

Other animals that the keeper was taking good care of have been additionally examined for COVID-19 and outcomes of the exams are excepted quickly.

In September, a number of US zoos, together with the one in Washington, launched a vaccination marketing campaign for animals inclined to COVID-19 after a bout of illness amongst them.

Croatia, which has a few of Europe’s lowest inoculation charges, is at the moment dealing with a file surge of coronavirus infections for the reason that begin of the pandemic.

The respiratory illness has claimed greater than 10,000 lives within the nation of 4.2 million folks.

© 2021 AFP