Virus kills captive panda, sickens 3 in NW China

A panda in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has died and three others are ill after contracting a measle-like virus, local authorities confirmed on Monday.

The four male pandas contracted canine distemper virus (CDV), a viral disease that affects a wide variety of animals including dogs, primates and large cats, early last month. Among them was eight-year-old Cheng Cheng, who died on December 9, 2014.

Another two pandas, one eight years old and one five years old, are critically ill, while the 14-year-old Zhu Zhu is in stable condition.

More than 30 experts from across China are taking care of the pandas.

They also found that three other pandas showed symptoms of fever and had them quarantined for further diagnosis.

Canine distemper is a viral disease that affects the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract, as well as the spinal cord and the brain. The infected animals usually have symptoms including high fever, eye inflammation, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, etc. It is highly contagious with a high fatality rate, commonly spread through contact with infected body fluids or contaminated food and water.

The wildlife rescue, breeding and research center of Shaanxi was home to 25 giant pandas. After outbreak of the epidemic, the center has sent the 18 healthy pandas to natural reserves elsewhere in the province.