47 tigers dead in Dong Nai and Long An due to bird flu
VOV.VN - A total of 47 tigers, a panther, and three lions living at the Mango Garden Eco-Resort in Bien Hoa city in the southern province of Dong Nai and at My Quynh Zoo in the Mekong Delta of Long An have died due to A/H5N1 flu, according to information given by local media.
Test results from the National Centre for Veterinary Diagnosis saw that the animals, including 20 Bengal tigers and one panther, had died at the Mango Garden Eco-Resort because of H5N1 type A virus.
The animals reportedly exhibited symptoms of illness prior to their deaths.
Initial information released by the resort shows that the animals were fed chicken provided by a company in Ho Nai ward of Bien Hoa city. The source of infection is currently still unknown.
On October 3, Dong Nai authorities decided to destroy the infected animals in the resort area under the strict supervision of relevant agencies.
Local authorities also immediately disinfected barns and moved to swiftly isolate other animals in a bid to prevent the further spread of the disease.
Le Quang Trung, director of the provincial Department of Health, revealed that staff members of the zoo who had come into close contact with the animals are fortunately still in a stable health condition.
Earlier, My Quynh Zoo in the Mekong Delta of Long An also reported mass deaths of 27 tigers and two lions from August to September 16. Notably, of these three tigers had been brought over from the Mango Garden Eco-Resort.
The H5N1 virus was found on a tiger sample which had been sent for testing.
