Please note if you have recently visited Gaiazoo in Kerkrade. Q fever has been established in some forest reins of the zoo. “Although the risk for visitors is small, we recommend extra attention to certain risk groups,” RIVM warns.
Q fever is an infectious disease that can pass from animals to people by breathing in the bacterium that causes the fever variant. The symptoms often look like the flu.
The reason the animals were tested had to do with an earlier miscarriage in one of the animals. In total, five forest reins of the zoo have been tested positively at the infectious disease. One of the animals gave birth to a living calf at the beginning of May.
Are now behind screens
As a precaution, the entire herd has been placed behind screens to prevent contact between the herd and the public. The stay was also cleaned after delivery and miscarriage.
The warning from the RIVM applies to visitors who have been to Gaiazoo on 29 April, 11 May, May 21 or June 1. They are advised to report to the doctor if they have a fever with a headache or have pneumonia.
People who are pregnant, have heart valve problems or, for example, have a immune disorder, run extra risk.
Often no complaints
There is also good news: more than half of the people who ever get Q fever get no complaints. When there are complaints, it is often about flu symptoms.
In severe cases there is also a headache, high fever and pneumonia. Sometimes the bacterium can also cause liver inflammation. About 20 percent of people hold complaints for a longer period of time after acute Q fever, in particular fatigue.
