South Africa: Cougars and lions infected with coronavirus

Two cougars and three lions, living in captivity at a South African zoo, have been infected by COVID-19, with the virus being transmitted to animals, as it all appears, by asymptomatic staff members, according to a study published today.

Human-to-animal transmission of the virus "poses a threat to large captive felines," warns research conducted by the University of Pretoria. Particularly because PCR tests showed that the cats were positive for up to seven weeks after infection, indicating that the animals may have been infected with "a more serious form of the disease," the report said.

The investigation began after three African lions were positively diagnosed in Covid-19 last year. They showed symptoms similar to those of humans: difficulty breathing, runny nose, cough. A lioness developed pneumonia.

Five zoo workers who came in contact with the animals tested positive, suggesting that the source of the infection was humans. The sequencing determined that it was the Delta variant, which was then dominant in South Africa.

A year earlier, two puma, who had symptoms of anorexia and suffered from diarrhea and runny nose, had also been positively diagnosed in COVID-19. They recovered within three weeks. In their case neither the source of the infection nor the variant were identified.