Two rare sumatran tigers at the Lagunan Zoo in Jakarta, Indonesia, were infected with the coronavirus, though they say they are recovering.
Susie Marsitawati, head of the Jakarta Park and Woodlands Authority, said in an August 1 statement that the first of the two tigers, 9-year-old "Tino", developed shortness of breath, sneezing, runny nose and other symptoms on July 9 and lost his appetite; two days later, his companion, 12-year-old "Harry", developed the same symptoms. Health workers tested them for COVID-19 on 14 July and tested positive.
The two tigers were treated immediately, given antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and multivitamins, etc.; after 10 to 12 days, their condition improved, they were under "close observation", "the current condition is good, the appetite has been restored, and it is active again".
Marsitawati said the park was still investigating their route of infection and had so far confirmed that all the keepers and staff on duty at the time of their onset were not infected with COVID-19, and that the zoo was not open to the public at that time in accordance with Jakarta's epidemic prevention requirements.
Desche News Agency reported that this is the first known case of animal infection in Indonesia so far.
The Sumatran tiger is a critically endangered subspecies of tiger and the only surviving tiger subspecies in Indonesia with only about 600 animals. Two other tiger subspecies that once lived in Indonesia, the Javanese tiger and the Balinese tiger, are extinct.
Source: Xinhua News Agency