• Equine disease death at Race Course on Dec. 17
• Govt. declares 2-km radius around Mysore Race Club and nearby Mysuru Zoo as ‘Notified Area’
• Zoo enclosures sanitised as safety measure

Mysore/Mysuru: Following the detection of Glanders — a contagious and serious zoonotic equine disease — in a horse at the Mysore Race Club Ltd (MRC), which led to its death on Dec. 17 and the subsequent suspension of all racing activities, a high alert has been sounded at the Mysuru Zoo, located adjacent to the MRC campus.

All precautionary measures have been intensified, particularly at enclosures housing zebras and other equine species, as well as giraffes. The Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) has asked all nine Zoos in the State to be on high alert and follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in the wake of Glanders outbreak.

Zoo Executive Director P. Anusha told Star of Mysore this morning that, in the wake of the outbreak at the neighbouring Race Club, Zoo Authorities convened a video-conference meeting yesterday involving veterinarians, wildlife and captive animal health experts, scientists and contagious disease specialists to formulate a control strategy.

Surveillance and sanitisation measures

“As the disease affects animals of the equine family, we have issued a communication to all food suppliers to ensure that grass, animal feed, food grains and other green items supplied to the Zoo are segregated and do not mix with feed supplied elsewhere,” Zoo Executive Director Anusha said.

She added that strict surveillance and sanitisation measures are being enforced, with the enclosures of vulnerable animals undergoing regular disinfection. Food supply and goods vehicles are being sanitised at Zoo entry and exit points by staff wearing protective gear.

“We have issued an internal circular directing all sections to strictly adhere to the protocols to ensure that the zoonotic disease caused by Burkholderia mallei does not enter the Zoo,” she said.

Section-wise sanitisation is being carried out as per standard operating procedures. Zoo will undergo sanitisation every Tuesday, when it remains closed to public, Anusha added.