Six lions and three tigers contract coronavirus at Washington DC Zoo | What were your symptoms?

Six lions and three tigers at the Washington DC Zoo are being treated for the coronavirus after testing positive in preliminary tests.

“Last weekend, guards observed decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing and lethargy in six African lions, one Sumatran tiger and two Siberian tigers who tested positive for coronavirus in preliminary tests, “zoo officials said in a statement. They added that in the next few days they were awaiting the results of new tests to confirm the diagnosis.

The animals are treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs to prevent nausea and antibiotics against the risk of pneumonia. Zoo officials stressed that there was no risk to the public, given the cat’s considerable distance from the habitat to visitors, and that no other animals showed signs of infection.

The feline contagions occurred after the announcement last Tuesday of the launch of a vaccination campaign for animal species likely to be infected. The measure concerns several American zoos, including that of the capital.

In addition to felines, several primates have been affected by the virus across the country, to the point that several gorillas at the Zoo in Atlanta, Georgia, tested positive for the coronavirus last week.