Hyderabad: Eight Asiatic lions at Nehru Zoological Park (NZP), which tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week of April, have now completely recovered from the infection and are back in their enclosures, as per the zoo officials.
The test report had came positive after their saliva samples were thoroughly examined by CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. Soon after, the lions were isolated from other animals.
However, after proper treatment, the animals responded well and showed signs of recovery, a zoo official said.
After two weeks of treatment, there were no symptoms of the virus in the zoo. But the authorities continued to keep the lions in isolation for a couple of weeks more, before testing them for the virus again.
In view of the rapid spread of the coronavirus in the country, the Ministry recently issued an advisory to close all zoological parks, national parks, tiger reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries for visitors till further orders to control the spread of the pandemic.
Accordingly, the zoo here, Kakatiya Zoological Park, Warangal, Kawal, and Amrabad Tiger Reserves, all National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries in Telangana were closed from May 2.
