Gorillas at the San Diego Zoo made a full recovery from Covid-19

Eight gorillas at the San Diego Zoo have made a full recovery after contracting Covid-19 last month, the zoo said. 

The western lowland gorillas caught the West Coast variant of the coronavirus, zoo officials say, despite team members adhering to all recommended biosecurity precautions.

All eight gorillas at the zoo were secluded after the diagnosis, with some showing symptoms that included “mild coughing, congestion, nasal discharge and intermittent lethargy,” the zoo said in an online update.

Zoo officials credit the gorillas recuperation to “the highest standard of care” offered by the zoo’s veterinary team, wildlife care professionals, and a collaboration with a wide array of colleagues and partners.

San Diego Zoo has committed to sharing documentation of the coronavirus in its gorillas with hopes that it will help “provide important information regarding scientific understanding of the virus and its effects on great apes.”

The gorillas are now on view for visitors.