Jaipur lion tests positive for COVID; Samples of Panther and White Tiger inconclusive

Bareilly, May 12: A lion, named Tripur, living in Jaipur zoo, tested positive for COVID, Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) officials said here on Wednesday.

While Tripur was positive for SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19, the sample reports of a panther, a white tiger and a lioness from Jaipur, were inconclusive, IVRI Joint Director K P Singh said, adding there was a need to resample them.

The 13 animal samples received from Rajasthan''s capital include three lions, three tigers and one panther.

Singh said eight samples including, three tigers, one civet cat, one black buck received from Chhatbir Zoo in Punjab and one of a black buck in Bareilly were tested negative for the virus.

The chain of transmission of the virus, Singh suspected, could have taken place through asymptomatic human carriers like caretakers of animals.

On May 4, the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology said eight Asiatic lions in the Hyderabad zoo tested positive for COVID.