Zoos across India put on high alert after tiger tests positive for COVID-19 in US

Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo, that the zoo said on April 5, 2020 has tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is seen in an undated handout photo. (Credit: Reuters)

After a tiger in a New York zoo contracted COVID-19, Centre on Monday sounded alerts for zoos across the country advising quarantine for sick animals and personal protection equipment for zookeepers.

The Centre also issued an alert across for national parks of the country to step up vigil to stop the spread of COVID-19 among wild animals.

The Central Zoo Authority issued a circular to all the zoos across the country to keep a 24x7 watch on animals through CCTV and report any abnormal behaviour amid reports of spread of the coronavirus from humans to animals and vice versa.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests issued directives to national parks, sanctuaries and tiger reserves to reduce the human-wildlife interface and restrict movement of people as part of preventive measures to stop the spread of the virus.

It also asked national parks to constitute a task force or a rapid action force comprising field managers, veterinary doctors and frontline staff to manage the situation as quickly as possible.

For latest updates on coronavirus outbreak, click here

The ministry also directed them to enhance disease surveillance and set up a mapping and monitoring system through coordinated efforts with other departments.

In a letter to all states and Union territories, CZA Member Secretary S.P. Yadav said the United States Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed COVID-19 in a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York.

“Zoos in the country are, therefore, advised to remain on highest alertness, and monitor animals 24X7 using CCTVs for any abnormal behaviour or symptoms,” it said.

The authority said mammals, especially cats, ferrets and primates, need to be carefully monitored and fortnightly samples of suspected cases be sent to designated animal health institutes for COVID-19 testing.

The samples can be sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Disease in Bhopal, the National Research Centre on Equines in Haryana's Hisar and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, the letter said.

“Sick animals should be isolated and quarantined,” it added.

The alarm bells rang in the environment ministry after a four-year-old Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York tested positive for the coronavirus infection.

The female tiger, named Nadia, is believed to be the first known case of an animal infected with COVID-19 in the US. It is suspected that she contracted the virus from a caretaker who was asymptomatic at that time of being in contact with the tiger.