Tiger in New York Zoo Tests Positive of the Coronavirus

• Nadia, a 4-year-old Malayan tiger in New York’s Bronx Zoo, has contracted the coronavirus.
• According to zoo officials, the animal and with five other tigers and lions exhibited symptoms of the disease.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across many countries, scientists are doing their best to learn more about the viral infection that has since infected over a million individuals and claimed thousands of lives. To this day, COVID-19 still surprises experts with new discoveries.

Case in point, a 4-year-old female tiger in New York has tested positive of the coronavirus. According to a press release issued by the Wildlife Conservation Society of the Bronx Zoo, Nadia, a Malayan tiger, has been infected with the disease.

The diagnosis came after the animal showed dry cough. Authorities from the United States Department of Agriculture confirmed the infection and said they tested Nadia, along with five other zoo tigers and lions after they exhibited symptoms of the virus.

According to the zoo, the cats did experience some “decrease in appetite” but they have since been placed under the care of veterinaries and are now “bright, alert and interactive.” It is expected that they will recover soon.

At this moment, it remains unknown how the disease will infect the other animals “since different species can react differently to novel infections,” said the zoo officials, assuring the public that they will be closely monitoring the problem, a CNN article reported.

They suspect, however, that Nadia may have contracted the virus from asymptomatic zookeepers since none of them have been tested, so far.

Watch this video report by ABC News:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), persons infected with COVID-19 should isolate themselves not only from family members but also their household animals. Their official website reminds ill people to “avoid direct contact with pets, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, sleeping in the same location, and sharing food.”