Tiger at Bronx Zoo tests positive for virus

[Eldorado]

"Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York, has become the first of her kind to test positive for the coronavirus.

"The 4-year-old female Malayan tiger tested positive after developing a dry cough and is expected to recover, the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo said in a news release.

"Samples from Nadia were taken and tested after the tiger -- and five other tigers and lions at the zoo -- began showing symptoms of respiratory illness, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"No other animals at the zoo are showing symptoms."

At CNN: Link

And the BBC: Link

Edited April 6, 2020 by Eldorado

[acidhead]

They are releasing inmates from prison in NY because other inmates have tested positive.

[Great Old Man]

Poor tiger, It seems that Tiger will be killed ruthlessly.

 

[+and-then]

1 hour ago, Great Old Man said:

Poor tiger, It seems that Tiger will be killed ruthlessly.

 

The article said she'll recover:

"The 4-year-old female Malayan tiger tested positive after developing a dry cough and is expected to recover,

[Raptor Witness]

This is a far more serious development than some here seem to understand.

I warned of this, as the greatest new danger. 

Quote

     
Also, my source suggests that it will be there that a mutation can take place, but the nature of this change is still being kept from me. However, a doctor of animals does come to mind. 

I strongly advise that any sick veterinarians or veterinary workers in Africa, be watched very closely. This should be a top priority of every nation. 

No veterinary workers should be allowed to treat any animals while carrying this virus, anywhere on earth.  Source 2-3-2020

 

[papageorge1]

If a tiger can test positive then why not pet cats? And can pet cats transfer the virus to a human?

[+susieice]

The news just said the tiger is being treated. How? Is there an effective treatment for animals but not for humans? This article says they don't know exactly how the virus will develop in the animal. The zoo is saying it will share all information it gets with other zoos and places that are researching how the virus spreads.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52177586

Nadia, her sister Azul, as well as two Amur tigers and three African lions who showed symptoms, are all expected to make a full recovery, the zoo said.

The big cats did have some decrease in appetite but "are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers", it said.

The zoo said it is not known how the virus will develop in animals like tigers and lions since various species can react differently to new infections, but all the animals will be closely monitored.

 

[stevewinn]

If all this is true and its evident that the Coronavirus can be transmitted from humans to animals the consequences are enormous.

[HandsomeGorilla]

It's a zoonotic disease, so yes and yes. 

[LV-426]

7 hours ago, papageorge1 said:

If a tiger can test positive then why not pet cats? And can pet cats transfer the virus to a human?

 

They can apparently, although there's no evidence of cat to human transfer as of yet.

I'll post the full section, as it's in the constantly updated BBC Live section:

 

How did that New York tiger become infected?

Paul Rincon, Science editor, BBC News website

"Further insights into that female tiger that tested positive for the coronavirus at the Bronx Zoo in New York ...

The news follows on the heels of a laboratory study published last week that shows domestic cats can become infected with Sars-CoV-2 (as this coronavirus is officially known) when given high doses.

Furthermore, the team of researchers from institutes in Harbin, China, were able to show that cats were able to transmit the virus to other cats.

And a cat in Belgium has reportedly been infected with the virus by its owner.

Dr Sarah Caddy, a veterinarian from the University of Cambridge, said the news about the tiger was not wholly unexpected, given the Chinese study.

But, she said: "It is surprising that the tiger has become infected with what must have been a fairly low dose of virus – we can assume the tiger did not have continual close contact with the asymptomatic zoo keeper."

She said one possibility was that tigers in captivity could be more susceptible - in part, perhaps, because of their genes. There is a 5% difference between the genomes of tigers and domestic cats. The genome is the DNA contained in the nuclei of cells

Interestingly, the Harbin study found that ferrets were also susceptible to the virus, but dogs, pigs, chickens and ducks were less so.

So what does this all mean for the vast majority of us who are in lockdown? There is no evidence that pets of any kind can be a source of the virus. The current pandemic is undoubtedly driven by human-to-human transmission.

But some scientists have advised that pet owners should take the usual precautions of hand washing, and might choose to avoid overly close contact with their animals - especially if they think they might be infected with the coronavirus."

Edited April 6, 2020 by LV-426

[Raptor Witness]

On 4/6/2020 at 4:28 AM, papageorge1 said:

If a tiger can test positive then why not pet cats? And can pet cats transfer the virus to a human?

Quite serious indeed, and a problem going forward. New animal hosts means a larger reservoir in nature. There was already a report of a canine testing positive in Asia, and the story was quickly dismissed as incidental. 

This underlines my belief that there will be persistent waves of the virus through 2023, wrecking the economy globally.

A deadlier strain could also jump from an animal back into U.S. and we are ignoring this, it seems, like the initial danger of air travel.

My biggest concern is how the infection of other species is not being warned about. This is the most serious development that I have seen, and it’s barely making any news. This is dangerous, and must be avoided.

[Raptor Witness]

Don’t ignore cross species infections of this virus. 

They must be prevented, or our fiction could become quite real. 

 

[Raptor Witness]

Second dog tests positive for coronavirus as owners warned not to abandon pets - 

Market Watch 3-21-2020

Owner of quarantined German shepherd was infected, but the dog showed no symptoms of the disease ....

The Hong Kong government has urged people not to abandon their pets and to stop kissing them after a second dog tested positive for coronavirus, but stressed that the animal had not shown any symptoms of the disease.

 

Edited April 8, 2020 by Raptor Witness

[Robotic Jew]

On 4/6/2020 at 2:29 AM, and then said:

The article said she'll recover:

"The 4-year-old female Malayan tiger tested positive after developing a dry cough and is expected to recover,

I bet a tiger coughing sounds ADORABLE!!!

[Raptor Witness]

The bigger the evolutionary jump, the more lethal cross-species diseases could be - 

Science Daily - March 28, 2019, University of British Columbia

"The bigger the evolutionary jump between species, the more likely the disease could be lethal in its new host," says Jonathan Davies, a University of British Columbia biologist and senior researcher on the paper.

A disease jumping from a buffalo to a cow is making a short evolutionary jump, and is less likely to be fatal. A disease jumping from a buffalo to a cat involves a larger evolutionary jump and a higher chance of death. 

[Raptor Witness]

4 Tigers & 3 Lions Infected at Bronx Zoo

Unbelievably stupid ....