All zoos, national parks in India to be shut: Govt

8 LIONS IN HYDERABAD TEST POSITIVE

NEW DELHI: lular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) confirmed the infection among the lions to the ministry’s wildlife division .

“We had a video conference with CCMB officials yesterday (Monday) and they confirmed the diagnosis to us. The problem is we cannot collect throat or nasal swab samples from animals. So, most probably, we will put in place a method to collect scat samples. CCMB is devising that method and guidelines,” said Soumitra Dasgupta, assistant director-general of forest (wildlife).

Dasgupta added that all wildlife wardens have been asked to be alert.

“On April 24, the Hyderabad zoo gave samples of the eight lions -- collected from the nose, throat and respiratory tract under anaesthesia -- to CCMB after they showed signs of respiratory distress associated with Covid-19. Based on detailed tests and reports on Tuesday, it has now been confirmed that eight lions have tested positive for Sars-cov-2 virus, which causes Covid-19,” the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement further said that an analysis of the samples confirmed that the infection was not caused by any Covid-19 variant of concern (VOC). It did not specify if genome sequencing had been carried out.

According to the ministry, the eight lions have been isolated and all the lions are recovering

letters@hindustantimes.com

Eight Asiatic lions at the Hyderabad zoo have tested positive for Covid-19, in the first such case in the country, prompting the Union environment ministry to order the closure of all national parks, sanctuaries and national zoological parks in the country.

The government direction, issued on Tuesday, came a day after Hyderabad’s Centre for Cel