Every zoo in the US (the world for that matter) has crews working 24/7 to feed and care for their animals. Early in the spread of Covid-19 some dogs in Hong Kong were determined to be carrying the virus, but not necessarily to be infected by the virus. The dogs were considered to be contaminated in the same way a door handle or counter-top might be a vehicle to pass on the virus. This tiger in New York appears to be infected with the virus as opposed being contaminated by the sloughed off residue of viral material. Animals in US zoos testing positive for the virus could put lots of zoo workers and animals at risk.
A Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to statements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the New York City zoo.
Why it matters: It's the first known animal to test positive for the virus in the United States. The tiger is believed to have contracted the virus from an asymptomatic zookeeper.
