Sumatran Tigers in Indonesia Recovering From COVID-19, Cause of Coronavirus in Animals Still Unknown

Animals can get infected by COVID-19, like cats, dogs, gorillas, and many others. The latest cases of COVID-19 in animals are two male Sumatran tigers in a zoo in Indonesia.

According to reports, the rare Sumatran tigers were infected last month and are now on their way to full recovery. However, Jakarta officials are baffled by the cause of the infection as none of the animals' caretakers and zoo staff were tested positive for COVID-19. They are now investigating to pinpoint the cause, given that the country had been a hotspot for COVID-19 in Southeast Asia in the past few months.

Sumatran Tigers Tested Positive for COVID-19

As reported by Reuters, Indonesia has recorded the worst COVID-19 infections in the past months in Southeast Asia, having more than 3.4 million infections and over 94,000 deaths since the pandemic started.

But it seems that not only humans in the country were experiencing the infection since two rare male Sumatran tigers have also been infected in mid-July. Nine-year-old Tino and 12-year-old Hari were tested for coronavirus after they exhibited flu-like symptoms, such as shortness of breath, sneezing, runny nose, and loss of appetite.

Both Tino and Hari underwent 10 to 12 days of treatment, which worked as they showed signs of recovery. Suzi Marsitawati, Jakarta's Head of the Parks and City Forest Office, said that the appetite of the tigers has returned, and now they are back on their feet as they are actively seen by zoo staff.

According to Phys.org, the tigers were subjected to a swab test when they showed symptoms that eventually went back positive for SARS-CoV-2. They were immediately treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as antibiotics and antihistamines. The two big cats were also given multivitamins for fast recovery.

"Their condition is good now. Their appetite has returned, and they're active," Phys.org quoted Marsitawati.

Zoo officials said that Tino and Hari were infected from unknown sources as none of their caretakers nor zoo staff tested positive for coronavirus. Plus, the zoo has been closed since the country implemented restrictions in visiting public places. An investigation is still ongoing, and they hope to find it sooner.

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COVID-19 in Animals

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that various animals have already been infected with the virus worldwide, and most of them caught the virus after contact with people with COVID-19. These reported cases of COVId-19 in animals include a small number of pet cats and dogs, big cats in zoos or sanctuaries, gorillas in zoos, minks on farms, and a few other mammals.

Despite these reported cases, the CDC and other health authorities still do not have a complete list of animals that can get infected with SARS-CoV-2. These animals that tested positive for COVID-19 have been reported in the United States and Slovakia. Infection occurred despite staff wearing personal protective equipment and following the strict COVId-19 protocols.

The CDC leads the effort to improve understanding of how SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted to animals and how it might spread between humans and animals. They are working in cooperation with the federal and state authorities and other One Health partners.