COVID infection of three lions and a puma in private South African zoo points to need for wider surveillance
Authors ADRIANO MENDES, Post-Doctoral Research fellow, University of Pretoria AMY STRYDOM, Scientist, German Federal Institute of Risk Assessment KATJA KOEPPEL, Associate Professor Wildlife Health, University of Pretoria MARIETJIE VENTER, Head: Zoonotic, Arbo and Respiratory Virus Programme, Professor, Department Medical Virology, University of Pretoria SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the disease we know as COVID-19. While this disease has wreaked havoc on every human population worldwide, what isn’t as well appreciated is that the virus can also infect a range of animals. The World Organisation for Animal Health) has reported outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in cats, dogs, ferrets, minks, otters, lions, tigers,…