Four Covid-hit Lions in Tamil Nadu Zoo Infected With Delta Variants, Govt Forms Task Force for Support

Genome sequencing of the samples of four COVID-19 infected lions at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) at Vandalur, near here, has revealed that they belong to Pangolin lineage B.1.617.2 and are Delta variants as per WHO nomenclature, the park said on Friday. On May 11, this year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) classified B.1.617.2 lineage as a variant of concern (VOC), and said it showed evidence of higher transmissibility and reduced neutralization, the zoo's deputy director said.

The Tamil Nadu government constituted a state-level task force to provide support and guidance to authorities on prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 infection in wild and captive animals in the reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests in the state.

The AAZP authorities had sent samples of 11 lions housed in the park to test for SARS CoV-2 four lions on May 24 and seven on May 29 to the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal. In its communication on June 3, the institute said samples of 9 lions had tested positive for SARS CoV-2.

Thereafter the animals have been under active treatment. The deputy director said in a statement that the Institute shared the results of genome sequencing of the SARS CoV-2 virus that infected the lions following a request from the zoo authorities.

"The director ICAR-NIHSAD informed that the Genome sequencing of four of the samples was done at NIHSAD, Bhopal.Analysis of the sequences shows that all the 4 sequences belong to Pangolin lineage B.1.617.2 and are Delta variants as per WHO nomenclature," the release stated.

A nine-year-old lioness Neela and a male lion named Pathbanathan, aged 12 years, succumbed to COVID-19 earlier this month.

The six-member task force formed by the government will be headed by Supriya Sahu, principal secretary to environment, climate change and forests department. It will keep a close watch on disease surveillance, mapping and monitoring system, vaccination and other important associated departments and publish periodic reports, an official release said.

A Government Order issued by Supriya Sahu said the state level task force for COVID-19 surveillance and monitoring will commence its work immediately and meet periodically to review the measures.

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