An eight-year-old elephant is in ‘critical’ condition with a lethal strain of herpes just days after her younger brother was killed by the virus in a Swiss zoo.

Umesh – a two-year-old male – died on 28th June after his condition deteriorated rapidly.

Zookeepers had the young bull’s family spend some time with the body to say goodbye, as elephants are known to mourn their dead.

Now his eight-year-old sister Omysha – one of the elephants allowed to mourn him – has been struck down with the deadly virus.

Omysha, her sister Chandra, 20, and their 36-year-old mother Indi had all been allowed to approach his body to say farewell at Zurich Zoo.

The herpes virus – Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV) – is quite common among the large mammals, but it is especially dangerous to young elephants.

Now Zurich Zoo confirmed that Umesh’s sister Omysha needed treatment due to the high viral load in her body.

Zurich Zoo announced: “We have registered an immense increase of the Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV) in Omysha.

“Her condition is critical.

“The virus has subsequently caused the EEHV haemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD).”

“We have started blood plasma transfusions and a therapy with antiviral drugs.”

“Some of our other elephants have tested positive for the virus too.

“However, their virus burden figures have not surpassed a critical limit yet.”

The zoo added that Omysha is currently the only animal receiving medical treatment.

Zoo Director Dr Severin Dressen, 33, explained: “We are monitoring the situation very carefully.

“Our elephant carers are taking blood samples each week to have them checked in a lab.

“This virus is very common among elephants. The decisive question is how powerful it gets.

“I heard someone comparing it to the COVID-19 virus among humans.

“That does make sense in a certain way. Some of us barely notice any symptoms after getting COVID. But COVID has also caused many deaths.”

Dressen said it is impossible to predict how Omysha’s health will progress.

He said: “Different aspects must be considered here. Experts from several medical departments are on the case.

“They are fully focused on helping her to get better.

“Elephants are highly social animals. I can rule out that we will separate her from the group over a long period of time.”

Speaking about the elephant family’s farewell from her deceased brother Umesh, Dressen told local media: “We left his body in their enclosure for some time to help the group realise what happened.”

The zoo director added: “These are turbulent times for all of us. What has happened is nothing you can just shrug off after work.

“The whole staff is affected. When you’re working in a zoo, you do so because you’re passionate about animals.”

Meanwhile, the body of two-year-old Umesh is being examined.

Zurich Zoo explained in a statement: “Umesh is now being examined by the pathologists at the animal hospital. This investigation can help to better understand the ‘Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus’ (EEHV) in the future and to further optimise the treatment methods.

“For example, research is currently being carried out with the aim of developing a vaccination against EEHV. This could protect young elephants from the virus in the future.”

Zurich Zoo added: “We deeply regret the death of Umesh.

“EEHV is very common among elephants, so most animals come into contact with it at some point and become infected. There is always a risk, especially for young animals, that it will suddenly break out. This affects both elephants in zoos and in wild populations.

“We thank the tireless efforts of the veterinarians, the curator and all animal keepers who have done everything they can to help Umesh.”

The zoo explained that up to two-thirds of all deaths in young Asian elephants in European and American zoos can be traced back to EEHV.

African bush elephants and Asian elephants are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Ivory trade, poaching and habitat destruction are the major threats to elephant populations.

Zurich Zoo opened in 1929. It is the third-oldest zoo in Switzerland.

The zoo registered around 1,094 million visitors in 2020, down slightly from its pre-COVID-19 lockdown figures of 2019 when it welcomed 1,254 million visitors.

It is situated at the Zurichberg, a wooded hill overlooking Lake Zurich.