Forty-seven tigers, three lions, and a panther have died in zoos in southern Vietnam from the H5N1 bird flu virus, according to reports on Wednesday.
The deaths happened in August and September at the My Quynh Safari Park in Long An province and Vuon Xoai zoo in Dong Nai, near Ho Chi Minh City. The animals died from the H5N1 virus, as confirmed by the National Centre for Animal Health Diagnosis.
When asked for comments, the zoos did not respond. None of the zoo staff who were in close contact with the animals showed any signs of illness.
According to Education for Nature Vietnam, an organization focused on wildlife protection, there were 385 tigers in captivity in Vietnam by the end of 2023. Of these, around 310 are in privately owned zoos and farms, while the rest are in government-run facilities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has noted an increase in flu outbreaks among mammals since 2022, including the H5N1 virus. In humans, H5N1 infections can range from mild to severe and can be deadly in some cases.
Vietnam reported a human death from the virus in March. In 2004, several tigers in Thailand died or were killed due to bird flu at the world’s largest tiger breeding farm.
In the U.S., bird flu has been found in dairy herds across 14 states and in wild birds. Last month, a person in Missouri was hospitalized with bird flu despite no known contact with animals involved in the outbreak.
This was the 14th bird flu case in the U.S. since March, when the virus was detected in cows after spreading through wild birds and mammals.
The CDC is using its flu tracking systems to keep an eye on bird flu cases in humans.
