Lions diagnosed with COVID-19 at United States safari park

As many as Five Lions at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park are believed to have contracted the coronavirus from a human handler after one of the animals tested positive.

Three among the band of critically endangered western lowland gorillas at the sprawling wildlife park have shown symptoms of the respiratory virus, such as coughing, though none appears severely ill, and all are expected to fully recover, the zoo said in online statement.

Laboratory analysis of a fecal sample collected last Wednesday from one of two gorillas initially seen coughing detected the presence of the virus two days later, zoo spokesman Andrew James said.

The positive results were confirmed on Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories, the zoo said on its website.

The gorillas are believed to have contracted the SAR-CoV-2, the scientific name of the virus that causes COVID-19, from an asymptomatic staff member, despite adherence to strict bio-security protocols consistent with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the zoo said.

Zoo officials said they do not know how the coronavirus will ultimately affect gorillas or what additional symptoms may occur, Reuters reported.