A Tiger Tests Positive for Coronavirus

A 4-year-old female Malayan tiger housed at the Bronx Zoo in New York tested positive for coronavirus after developing a dry cough. 

Samples from Nadia, the Malayan tiger, were taken and tested after she, her sister Azul, two Amur tigers, and three African lions at the zoo started showing signs of respiratory illness. All these animals are expected to recover, the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo said in its statement. 

Although the animals showed signs of decreased appetite, the cats are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers, the statement also said. The four affected tigers are housed in the Tiger Mountain exhibit of the zoo. One male tiger that is also housed at the Tiger Mountain, and a Malayan tiger and two Amur tigers at the zoo's Wild Asia exhibit did not show any sickness. The zoo assured that they would monitor the cats closely and anticipate full recoveries. 

USDA National Veterinary Service Laboratory confirmed the positive COVID-19 test for Nadia.

Other cats in the zoo are not showing any signs of illness. The cats are infected by the zoo caretaker, who was asymptomatically infected.

According to Paul Calle, chief veterinarian at the zoo, "this is the first time that any of us know of anywhere in the world that a person infected the animal and the animal got sick," Appropriate measures are in place to protect the animals and the staff. The zoo has also been closed to the public since March 16. 

The zoo said that it is not known how the virus will develop in wild animals since various species react differently to new infections. 

The novel coronavirus is thought to have originated in wildlife. It may have been passed to humans via a live animal market in Wuhan, China. 

A human drives the pandemic to human transmission, but this recent development of Nadia poses the possibility of human to animal transmission.

There are also isolated reports of companion animals such as dogs and cats being tested positive for coronavirus. The zoo noted that there is no evidence that COVID-19 infects a person by animals, including cats or dogs. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) says there is no evidence that pet dogs and cats can pass on the coronavirus, and studies are being done to understand the issue more. Everyone who is sick, however, is urged to limit contact with pets.

Dr. Sarah Caddy, Veterinarian and Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, noted that the tiger showed clinical signs consistent with COVID-19 in humans is interesting. She also said that despite the lack of scientific evidence," the chance that this is just a coincidence is low."

This recent development issued an alarm among conservation experts, prompting them to warn that the virus could pose a threat to some wildlife like the great apes and measures are needed to reduce the risk this wildlife is necessary.