Gorilla treated with antibodies recovering from COVID, says US zoo

An elderly gorilla was recovering from a serious case of COVID-19 after he was treated with cutting-edge synthetic antibodies, the San Diego Zoo said Monday.

Veterinarians are now identifying which animals to inject with the zoo's limited supply of vaccines.

Winston, 48, was one of several gorillas among the San Diego Zoo Safari Park's troop who were confirmed positive for the virus on January 11, based on fecal samples.

It was the first known case of natural transmission of the virus to great apes, and was suspected to have occurred because of contact with an asymptomatic staff member, despite the use of personal protective gear.

"The troop was infected with a new, highly contagious strain of the coronavirus, recently identified in California," San Diego Zoo Global, the nonprofit that operates the zoo and safari park said in a statement.

Two research groups in California have identified a homegrown strain that they believe was driving the Golden State's year-end surge in infections.

Winston, a critically endangered western lowland gorilla, arrived at the San Diego Safari Park in 1984 and will celebrate his 49th birthday on February 20, according to the website.