Three Snow Leopards in Louisville Zoo Test Positive for Coronavirus

Snow Leopard
Photo Courtesy: Louisville Zoo

The presence of the coronavirus has been detected in the body of a snow leopard at the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky, U.S.A. After humans, this is the sixth animal, which has tested positive for Coronavirus. And this time three leopards — two males and a female — were found Coronavirus positive at the Louisville Zoo.

The zoo authorities and the  US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the news on Friday, CNN reports.

All the infected leopards have respiratory and dry coughing symptoms. However, the symptoms are mild, the zoo director John Walczak said in a filmed statement.

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The leopards might be infected by an employee despite precautions taken by the zoo, according to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 
It’s unlikely the leopards or any other animals pose a significant risk in transmitting the virus to humans, as Covid-19 is primarily spread between people, the CNN report said.
 
The snow leopards are one of at least six animal species, which were infected with Coronavirus. They found Covid-19 positive after close contact with humans.
 
The first was a Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo. The tiger tested positive for Coronavirus in April. The animal showed symptoms of respiratory illness and by the end of the month, four other tigers and three African lions tested positive for the virus.
 
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