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Two hippos tested positive for the coronavirus in Antwerp Zoo. How the animals got infected is still a mystery.
This is the 41-year-old Hermien …
Antwerp Zoo
… and her 14 year old daughter Imani.
Antwerp Zoo
Antwerp Zoo reports that two hippos tested positive for the coronavirus.
How the hippos got infected is still a mystery.
The hippopotamus enclosure was closed to visitors, the nursing staff are only allowed to approach the animals with masks and safety goggles.
Two hippos caught the corona virus in a zoo in Antwerp, Belgium. Tests were positive for the 14-year-old Imani and her 41-year-old mother Hermien, the facility said. The national veterinary laboratory confirmed their infection. How the hippos got infected is still a mystery.
To the best of his knowledge, it was the first recorded infection among this species, said Francis Vercammen, veterinarian at Antwerp Zoo. All over the world, the virus has so far mainly occurred in great apes and cats.
Nursing staff must wear masks
In the past year, all animals in the zoo were tested for Covid-19 and no cases were found. Although the noses of hippos are usually damp, Vercammen was puzzled when he saw a thick liquid come out of them. As a precaution, he decided to take a test and was then surprised by the result.
The hippopotamus enclosure was closed to visitors. It won’t open again until the duo tests negative. The nurses from Imani and Hermien have so far tested negative. They must always wear masks and safety goggles and disinfect their shoes before approaching the animals.
Belgium tightened measures
Regardless of the curious case, Belgium again announced stricter corona rules on Friday. From next week, stricter rules for events in closed rooms will apply, the schools should go into the winter holidays earlier and sometimes longer and it is recommended that private meetings be restricted as much as possible, as Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced. Specifically, indoor events with more than 200 people are also to be banned. For other events, hygiene rules still apply, these should be more closely monitored by the local authorities.
Most recently, more people were infected every day in the pandemic than ever before in the country with a population of 11.5 million. On average there were almost 18,000 people. The number of hospital admissions has also risen sharply.
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(DPA/job)