COVID-19: Female tiger tests positive for coronavirus in US' zoo
New York: Nadia, a 4-year-old female Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus after developing a dry cough, in what is believed to be the first known case of an animal infected with COVID-19 in the US, raising new questions about human-to-animal transmission of the deadly virus.
The tigress, along with six other big cats, is thought to have been infected by an asymptomatic zoo keeper, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the zoo, said in a statement on Sunday.
Nadia, her sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions had developed a dry cough and decrease in appetite, it said, adding that all the cats are expected to recover.
"Though they have experienced some decrease in appetite, the cats at the Bronx Zoo are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers," the CNN quoted the zoo as saying.
"It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries," it said.
The test result has stunned zoo officials. "I couldn't believe it," zoo director Jim Breheny said.
The coronavirus, first detected in humans in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, is believed to have spread from animals to humans, and a handful of animals, including two dogs, have tested positive in Hong Kong.
The pandemic has been driven by human-to-human transmission, but the infection of Nadia raises new questions about human-to-animal transmission.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), no other animals at the zoo are showing symptoms.
The animals were infected by a zoo employee who was "asymptomatically infected with the virus" while caring for them, according to the zoo. The Bronx Zoo has been closed to the public since March 16.
Anyone sick with the coronavirus is being advised to minimise contact with animals, including pets, until more information is known about the virus, the USDA said.
"There is no evidence that animals play a role in the transmission of COVID-19 to people," except for the initial outbreak at a food market in Wuhan, China. In addition, there is "no evidence that any person has been infected with COVID-19 in the US by animals, including by pet dogs or cats," the CBS News quoted USDA as saying.
The USDA said "this is the first case of its kind" and "further studies are needed to understand if and how different animals could be affected by COVID-19."
The World Organisation for Animal Health says studies are under way to understand the issue more and urges anyone who has become sick to limit contact with pets.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there are more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases across the world and 69,479 people have died so far.
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Prajwal Revanna raped me at gunpoint and made videos, alleges JD(S) worker
Bengaluru, May 3: The Criminal Investigation Department investigating the sexual abuse allegations against JD(S) leader and NDA’s Hassan Lok Sabha candidate Prajwal Revanna has registered a case of rape against him, based on the complaint by a party worker.
The CID booked Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, after a JD(S) worker from Hassan lodged a complaint against him.
Besides the rape charges, the CID invoked sections against Prajwal pertaining to voyeurism, disrobing and making videos and taking photographs by threatening the complainant.
In the complaint, the woman said Prajwal had raped her at gunpoint and made videos on his mobile phones. She said Prajwal had taken her to the MP quarters where he perpetrated the crime at gunpoint and threatened that he would kill her as well as her husband, if she revealed to anyone what he had done.
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The accused allegedly forced her to satisfy his lust whenever he demanded, and threatened to make her video public if she did not cooperate.
Prajwal is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women. The state government-constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) is investigating the case.
Scores of explicit video clips allegedly involving the 33-year-old MP sexually abusing several women had started making the rounds in recent days.
Prajwal is the BJP-JD(S) alliance's candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency where polling was held on April 26, after which he left the country on a diplomatic passport.
The JD(S) had joined the NDA in September last year.
The JD(S) leadership has suspended Prajwal from the party.
