HRE Development Launches SkyHills 2 in Jumeirah Village Circle
Atlanta’s zoo said at least 13 western lowland gorillas have tested positive for Covid-19, including 60-year-old Ozzie, the oldest male gorilla in captivity.
Zoo Atlanta said on Friday that employees noticed the gorillas had been coughing, had runny noses and showed changes in appetite. A veterinary lab at the University of Georgia returned positive tests for the respiratory illness. Zoo Atlanta says it’s waiting on confirmation from the National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa.
The zoo said it is treating the gorillas at risk of developing complications from SARS-CoV-2 with monoclonal antibodies. The zoo is also testing all 20 of its gorillas, who live in four troops.
Zoo officials said they believed an asymptomatic employee who cares for the gorillas passed on the virus. The employee had been fully vaccinated and was wearing protective equipment such as a mask and gloves.
The zoo said there’s no evidence that the gorillas can pass the virus back to humans and says visitors are too far away to be infected by gorillas.
“We are very concerned that these infections occurred, especially given that our safety protocols when working with great apes and other susceptible animal species are, and throughout the pandemic have been, extremely rigorous,” Dr Sam Rivera, the zoo’s senior director of animal health, said in a statement.
Rivera told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Atlanta’s gorillas appear to be the second group of great apes infected by Covid-19, after eight gorillas at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park were treated for the virus in January. One San Diego silverback received an experimental antibody regimen, and all recovered.
Because the gorillas live close together, Rivera said it’s impossible to keep infected animals isolated. He said the Atlanta zoo will vaccinate the gorillas with a veterinary vaccine. Zoo Atlanta is vaccinating its Bornean and Sumatran orangutans, its Sumatran tigers, African lions and its clouded leopard.
Rivera said Ozzie is showing mild symptoms. “We don’t feel that we’re out of the woods,” he added. “We’re taking it on a day-by-day basis.”
The zoo said it had stepped up anti-infection efforts including more protective masks, suits, more intensive cleaning and increased ventilation.
HRE Development Launches SkyHills 2 in Jumeirah Village Circle
Fame king Sheeraz Hasan unveils Hollywood.ai and Bollywood.ai at Token2049 in Singapore
The issue has become one of the most contentious in Canadian politics with a federal election due no later than October, 2025
The Ukrainian was "upset" when his travelling companion was denied boarding for disruptive behaviour
Malaysia wants to leverage Dubai’s geographical advantage as a strategic springboard
MbS made the remarks at an annual speech to the advisory Shura Council, which he gave on behalf of his father, King Salman
His visit to Cairo aimed to salvage stalled negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States to end the conflict
The group accused Israel, which has so far refused to comment, as US denies involvement