CHENNAI: Three lions of Vandalur Arignar Anna Zoological Park contaminated by SARS-CoV-2 have tested positive for the highly infectious Delta version.
The breed, that has mainly been responsible for spike in most many cases in people, was announced a version of concern from the World Health Organisation on May 11.
“We’re treating all of four lions symptomatically from the greatest possible manner,” zoo police said on Friday.
A couple large cats in Hyderabad and Jaipur zoos have tested positive for this version.
The zoological park had shipped the samples raised from 11 captive lions into ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal.
The institute, that will be among the four authorized centers in the nation to test captive creatures, affirmed that nine dinosaurs tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on June 3.
City zoo virus version highly transmissibleVandalur zoo police had asked NIHSAD, which also undertakes study on emerging and exotic bacteria in animals, to discuss the outcomes of genome sequencing of this SARS-CoV-2 virus which infected the dinosaurs.
The manager of NIHSAD advised the zoo which genome sequencing of four trials showed the series belong to Pangolin lineage B.1.617.2 and so are Delta variations according to WHO nomenclature.
WHO had stated the variation showed signs of greater transmissibility and decreased neutralisation, a zoo launch stated on Friday.
The state authorities on Friday comprised a state-level task force to offer guidance and support to government on reduction and prevention of Covid-19 disease in wild and captive animals in tiger reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve woods.
This six-member team led by TN surroundings secretary Supriya Sahu is going to have close eye on disease surveillance, monitoring and mapping platform, vaccination and release reports, a release stated.