After two Sumatran tigers tested positive for Covid at the Lincoln Zoo in Nebraska, the zoo's three snow leopards became infected and died from complications of the virus.

On October 13th, the zoo announced that two Sumatran tigers and three snow leopards tested positive for COVID-19 after showing signs of the virus. They were then treated with steroids and antibiotics to prevent secondary infection. The two tigers have since recovered. The snow leopards were cared for "tirelessly" by veterinary staff at the zoo to try to save the snow leopards before they passed away, according to a release from the Lincoln Children's Zoo.

A spokesperson for the Children's Zoo said, "We know how much each of our animals means to our community inside and outside of the zoo. It is very tough to lose any animal unexpectedly, especially one as rare and loved as the snow leopard. We are all heartbroken by the loss of Ranney, Everest, and Makalu and we are grieving together."

The zoo will stay open to the public.

Big cats around the world have become infected with the 'Rona since the beginning of the pandemic. There's no evidence that the virus spreads from cats to people, and unless the cats have a shared indoor living space, it likely was spread by caretakers.

Nine big cats came down with Covid at the National Zoo in DC in September, and eight were diagnosed this week at the St. Louis Zoo. All of those animals made or are expected to make full recoveries. There has been no word on why all three snow leopards at the Lincoln Zoo had such serious complications.

This is a strange, strange virus...