New things are still being learned about the novel coronavirus called Covid-19. One thing that only became clear recently is that the disease can be passed from humans to animals, although such cases are, as per the CDC, “rare.” Right now it seems to only go one way, from humans to animals, and on Sunday it was revealed, according to News 12 in the Bronx, that a tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the virus.
The infected animal is a four-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia, and she may not be the only one infected: Her sister, Azul, and two others have developed dry coughs. They are, however, expected to recover. The Bronx Zoo has been closed to the public since mid-March, and the first tiger didn’t signs of sickness until March 27.
According to a statement released by the United States Department of Agriculture, this is the first known case of a tiger being infected with Covid-19. They also advised that, while there haven’t been reports of any pets contracting the virus, anyone with symptoms should “restrict contact with animals, out of an abundance of caution including pets, during their illness, just as they would with other people.”
(Via News 12 The Bronx)
