Officials stated Tuesday that the deaths of 72 tigers across two tourist animal parks in northern Thailand should not be a significant public concern, as the fatalities were attributed to a virus not known to affect humans.
While no human symptoms have been reported to date, authorities are nonetheless monitoring the health of individuals who recently had contact with the animals.
“There has not been an animal-to-human infection case,” Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat declared at a news conference held at Government House in Bangkok.
The tigers in parks located in Chiang Mai province’s Mae Taeng and Mae Rim districts became ill and died over an approximate 10-day period, between February 8th and 18th.
On Friday, the Chiang Mai regional livestock office announced in a statement that autopsies on the animals revealed genetic material of the Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) and traces of bacterial infection, but no avian influenza type A virus, also known as bird flu.
“If we detect any sick persons, we will prepare for a nationwide monitoring measure,” said Monthien Khanasawat, director-general of the Public Health Ministry’s Disease Control Department. “This will include contact tracing and treatment as necessary.”
Monthien spoke at the news conference in what appeared to be an effort to reassure the public that the tiger deaths were not caused by bird flu, which has seen a resurgence elsewhere. According to the Public Health Ministry, Thailand recorded 17 deaths among 25 infected patients from poultry-caused influenza between 2004 and 2007.
CDV, infectious to both dogs and felines, can induce more severe symptoms in cats and tigers and can spread through bodily fluids and air. Thai authorities noted that tigers in confined environments, already affected by stress and inbreeding, could be particularly susceptible to the viral infection.
The tiger remains underwent necropsies before being cremated and buried. Livestock Development Department Director-General Somchuan Rattanamangklanan stated at the news conference that the carcasses were properly disinfected, photographed, and discarded to prevent any further use.
However, Visit Arsaithamkul, a veterinarian who participated in the tiger necropsies, expressed concern that the origins of the infections remained unclear without further investigation. In a Facebook post, he suggested that since the two parks were only 30 kilometers (18 miles) apart, the infection might have originated from a common food source fed to the tigers.
He declined to elaborate when contacted by The Associated Press. Both parks, operating under the name Tiger Kingdom, remain closed. The operators did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Thai authorities continue to be vigilant regarding the threat of a bird flu outbreak. Monthien, the Public Health Ministry director, urged Thais to be cautious with their consumption of poultry after a man in an unnamed neighboring country was found infected with bird flu.
The first animal-to-human transmission of bird flu was identified in Hong Kong in 1997, preceding a pandemic that began spreading across Asia in 2003. In Thailand, tens of millions of poultry were culled, and consumption plummeted due to fears of infection.