State funds campaign to halt spread of panda distemper

Authorities stressed on Wednesday the importance of treatment and disease prevention for pandas after two of the animals died of a virus related to human measles.

Funds have been allocated to treat pandas sick with distemper and prevent the disease from spreading, according to the State Forestry Administration. It did not give specifics about the funds.

Zhao Shucong, head of the administration, urged that effective measures be put into place to save sick pandas and guard against the spread of the disease.

Two pandas have died in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, local authorities confirmed on Monday.

An 8-year-old panda named Da Bao developed a twitch on Dec 24 after being infected with canine distemper virus, a viral disease that affects a wide variety of animals including dogs, primates and large cats. Da Bao died on the afternoon of Jan 4 from heart failure and lung edema.

Another panda, 8-year-old Cheng Cheng, died on Dec 9 of the disease.

Two more pandas are ill, with one in critical condition, and four others have shown fever symptoms and been quarantined for further diagnosis.

More than 30 experts from across China are caring for the pandas.

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

Before the outbreak, the wildlife rescue, breeding and research center of Shaanxi was home to 25 giant pandas. After the disease was diagnosed, the center sent its healthy pandas to nature reserves elsewhere in the province.