Sister of BioPark elephant that died on Christmas tests positives for same virus

By Maggie Krajewski

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — ABQ BioPark officials have announced that a second Asian elephant calf has tested positive for a deadly virus.

This news comes less than a week after 3-year-old Thor died from elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV).

Thor’s older sister, 8-year-old Jasmine, tested positive for the disease Tuesday.

Thor tested positive on Dec. 15 and died from the virus 10 days later on Christmas Day.

BioPark officials said it is not yet known how the virus is transmitted or if Jasmine and Thor are carrying the same strain.

They add that the same virus killed Jasmine’s older sister, Daizy, in 2015.

“Individual elephants react differently to the virus, and the BioPark cautions that it is too early to tell how it will impact Jazmine, who is older and has a more developed immune system than her younger brother. Jazmine did not test positive for EEHV when it claimed the life of her sister Daizy in 2015,” a release read.

The BioPark’s animal care staff is treating Jasmine with antiviral medication and plasma transfusions.

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