Coronavirus lockdown disrupts food supplies for birds, animals in Wuhan Zoo

coronavirus outbreak that has claimed over 630 lives has also bly affected food supplies of birds and animals at a zoo in Wuhan, epicentre of epidemic that is wreaking havoc in China and abro.

A total of 636 people have died, mostly in central Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, due to virus with total number of confirmed cases jumping to 3,143 as of Thursday, Chinese officials anunced on Friday.

Since outbreak in Hubei province in December, entire province has been kept under lockdown by officials to prevent virus from spreing human to human.

This lockdown has resulted in food shorts for animals in Wuhan Zoo.

Because of virus, animals lacking food in Wuhan Zoo have h ir troubles but problem was solved thanks to joint efforts from solicitous people nationwide, state-run China Daily reported on Friday.

Birds and animals are at centre of debate on how virus originated.

Chinese health experts have contended that virus originated from bats, but wher re are more intermediate carriers between bats and humans requires furr investigation. Some reports have hinted at snakes.

virus is believed to have been spre from Wuhan's Hunan seafood wholesale market.

zoo said food supplies, mainly for those animals living on aquatic products, have stabilised since it released an emergency call for help.

According to a tice released on zoo's social media account on February 1, aquatic products for some birds, such as penguins, cranes and pelicans, were in severe short.

Several aquatic animals were in severe need of feed. Mudfish was needed for cranes, crucian for capelins and small yellow croakers for penguins, report said.

"Fresh fish, especially small crucian, usually come from fishermen in nearby cities or towns. temporary traffic controls became a great challenge to transportation between cities in province," daily quoted local science writer in Wuhan Hua Shi as quoted.

zoo's public appeal for help received immense support from people nationwide who wanted to help.

On Saturday, zoo anunced that some local citizens h alrey sent food to zoo. Freshhema, a popular supermarket, also gave a helping hand.

As of Sunday afteron, 100 kilograms of mudfish from Freshhema h arrived at Wuhan Zoo and ar 250 kilogrammes of crucian, mainly for pelicans, will be sent to zoo within a few days, report said.

China and countries around world are scrambling to contain spre of coronavirus. Apart from China, two deaths have occurred in Hong Kong and Philippines.

Besides Germany, Britain and Italy, or European nations with cases of virus include France, Russia, Belgium, Sweden, Finland and Spain. PTI KJV MRJ MRJ

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