- West Nile virus also found in parrots in the zoo
This is the second case this year in Berlin: The West Nile Virus has been detected in a Mitchell's lorikeet at the Tierpark. All five birds of this parrot species died between July 14th and 29th, with one confirmed to have been infected with the West Nile Virus, the Senate Administration for Justice and Consumer Protection announced.
The test results for the other four lorikeets are pending. They are being processed at the National Reference Laboratory, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), and the Berlin-Brandenburg State Laboratory.
The first case this year was in July, involving a hawk.
The birds showed no abnormalities until their death. They lived in both indoor and outdoor enclosures, where they may have been exposed to transmitting mosquitoes of the Culex, Aedes, and Ochlerotatus species, as well as the Asian tiger mosquito, the Senate Administration reported. The West Nile Virus is primarily transmitted by blood-sucking mosquitoes, with birds being the main hosts. In rare cases, it can also be transmitted to humans and horses. There is no vaccine available for birds or humans, unlike for horses. Birds of prey, like hawks, are generally at risk.
According to the FLI, it is assumed that the virus successfully overwinters in local mosquitoes in Germany. There is evidence of the virus being established in Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. Since 2019, there have been isolated cases of human infection. According to the Robert Koch Institute, only a small proportion of infected individuals show symptoms.
The Senate Administration for Justice and Consumer Protection strongly urged the public to take necessary precautions against mosquito bites to prevent the spread of the West Nile Virus. Failure to address this issue could potentially lead to further losses, underscoring the importance of implementing effective measures towards maintaining justice in animal welfare and public health.
