Dozens of tigers have died in zoos in south Vietnam after a fowl flu outbreak, in response to state media.
Three lions and a panther had been additionally reported to have died of the virus alongside 47 tigers since August.
The H5N1 outbreak hit the Vuon Xoai zoo close to Ho Chi Minh Metropolis and the My Quynh safari park in neighbouring Lengthy An province.
An official informed Reuters information company that the animals had possible fallen ailing after being fed meat from chickens which had been contaminated.
The Vietnamese ministry of well being mentioned two samples taken from lifeless tigers examined optimistic for fowl flu, and officers are “monitoring the supply of the hen to find out the trigger”.
The zoos declined to remark when contacted by AFP information company.
Recommendation on the World Well being Group (WHO) web site warns towards consuming uncooked or undercooked meat and eggs from areas experiencing fowl flu outbreaks as a result of excessive threat of an infection.
The H5N1 pressure of the virus primarily infects animals, and the WHO says nearly all instances of human an infection come up from shut contact with contaminated reside or lifeless birds, or contaminated environments.
Since 2022, there have been rising reviews of lethal outbreaks amongst mammals attributable to influenza viruses, together with H5N1.
Near 900 human infections have been reported since 2003, of which greater than half had been deadly.