[CBC뉴스] 바르셀로나 동물원에서 사자 4마리가 코로나 바이러스에 감염된 것으로 알려 스페인 수의학 당국이 밝혔다. 이는 동물원에서 사람-동물간에 전파된 두 번째 사례이다.
잘라, 니마, 런런, 키움베라는 이름을 가진 세 암사자들은 사육사들이 코로나 바이러스의 가벼운 증상을 보인 것을 발견한 후 테스트를 받았다.
동물원 직원 두 명도 11월에 코로나 바이러스가 발견된 후 양성반응을 보였다고 당국은 말했다. 당국은 사자들이 어떻게 감염되었는지 조사하고 있다.
Four lions at Barcelona Zoo tested positive for COVID-19, veterinary authorities said on Tuesday (December 8), in only the second known case in which large felines have contracted coronavirus.
Three females named Zala, Nima and Run Run and Kiumbe, a male, were tested after keepers noticed they showed slight symptoms of coronavirus.
Two staff at the zoo also tested positive for coronavirus, authorities said, after the outbreak was discovered in November. Authorities are investigating how the lions became infected.
Keepers carried out PCR tests on the lions in the same way as humans are tested as the animals are acustomed to contact with the zoo staff.
The Veterinary Service of Barcelona contacted colleagues at the Bronx Zoo in New York, where four tigers and three lions tested positive for COVID-19 in April, the only other zoo where large felines have contracted coronavirus. All recovered.
"The Zoo has contacted and collaborated with international experts such as the Veterinary Service of the Bronx Zoo, the only one that has documented cases of Sars-CoV-2 infection in felines," the Barcelona zoo said in a statement.
"The lions were given veterinary care for their mild clinical condition - similar to a very mild flu condition - through anti-inflammatory treatment and close monitoring, and the animals responded well."
The four-year-old male and the females, who are 16 years old, have had no contact with other animals at the zoo which is open to visitors.
[영상=로이터ㅣCBC뉴스]
CBC뉴스ㅣCBCNEWS 정종훈 기자 press@cbci.co.kr
