A severe bird flu outbreak has claimed the lives of 47 tigers, three lions, and a panther in two zoos in southern Vietnam, according to reports from state media. The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) confirmed that the deaths occurred at the private My Quynh safari park in Long An province and the Vuon Xoai zoo in Dong Nai province, near Ho Chi Minh City. The cause of death was determined to be the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, based on test results from the National Centre for Animal Health Diagnosis.
The report highlighted that no zoo staff members had been in close contact with the infected animals, reducing concerns about human transmission within the zoo. However, the large number of fatalities has raised alarms about the spread of bird flu among mammals, especially in wildlife reserves and zoos.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu, known for its impact on poultry populations, has increasingly been reported among mammals in various parts of the world. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recently expressed concern over the rise in bird flu outbreaks affecting mammals, as the virus shows signs of crossing species barriers more frequently.
In a related incident in the U.S., a patient in Missouri was diagnosed with bird flu in September. The individual, who had underlying health conditions, was successfully treated with antiviral medications and has since been discharged from the hospital, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS).
This case marked the 14th human infection of bird flu reported in the U.S. this year, affecting individuals across three states. Notably, it was the first case in which there was no reported direct exposure to sick or infected animals, according to a CDC alert. This has raised additional concerns about the transmission of the virus among humans.
The ongoing spread of avian influenza continues to worry health and wildlife experts worldwide, as it poses threats not only to bird species but also to a variety of mammals. The deaths of these big cats in Vietnam’s zoos underline the potential dangers of the virus, further intensifying efforts to monitor and control its spread in both animal populations and human communities.
