A tiger and two lions were infected with the SarsCov2 virus on January 13, as well as a staff member, in a zoo in Sweden.
The confirmation came the next day from the Idexx laboratories in Germany, which analyzed the samples taken from the animals.
This was announced by the Swedish Veterinary Institute, on the network of the International Society for the Study of Infectious Diseases (Isid).
Genome sequencing of biological samples taken from animals showed that the virus belongs to group B1.177.21.
The animals had mild lesions in the respiratory tract, but no signs of pneumonia.
The infected tiger is a 17-year-old female who was euthanized due to severe respiratory and neurological symptoms, advanced age and poor chance of recovery.
The tiger started showing symptoms with a lack of appetite on January 9, but quickly worsened on January 11 when it was euthanized.
Another tiger, a male from the same group, also had mild respiratory but not neurological symptoms.
Of the four lions living in the zoo, two tested positive: they have mild respiratory symptoms, no neurological symptoms were found and their appetite did not change.
Even the zoo staff who cared for these animals showed symptoms of SarsCoV2 infection: one of them tested positive, while the other three are awaiting results.
