Lahore Zoo staff, animals tested for virus

All animals tested negative for coronavirus

LAHORE: Lahore Zoo Director Chaudhry Shafqat Ali said on Sunday that the animals and birds are free from Covid-19 at one of the world's oldest such facilities, while the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standard operating procedures (SOP) related to the pandemic have been adopted.

He said that coronavirus tests of skeleton staff and screening of animals were conducted

“All animals have been tested negative for coronavirus,” said the Lahore Zoo director. He maintained that the tests were conducted after a tiger was reported to be infected with the virus from an asymptomatic zookeeper in New York.

Ali highlighted that the Lahore zoo remained safe from such challenges through the adoption of the precautionary measures. He said that coronavirus tests of the skeleton staff were held with the help of the Punjab Health Department. "The animals were also screened by the University of Health and Veterinary Sciences (UVAS) as a precaution, although the zookeepers were free of coronavirus, and a clearance certificate was issued,” said the director.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2020.