MADRID – Four lions at Barcelona Zoo, three of them older females, caught COVID-19 last month but suffered only mild symptoms and have since recovered, the Catalan animal park said.
Their keepers were tipped off when they noticed “mild respiratory symptoms” among three 16-year-old females and a four-year-old male, a zoo statement said.
The symptoms emerged as two of their keepers tested positive for the virus.
“The four lions were tested with the viral antigen detection kit… and were found to be positive,” it said, indicating the diagnosis was confirmed by PCR tests.
They were immediately treated with anti-inflammatories and closely monitored under a protocol similar to that for the flu, and “responded positively.” (AFP)
