The news came as a shock to animal lovers, and worried Malaysians are wondering if the animals in our very own Zoo Negara are protected from the virus.

Don't worry; the zoo has made sure that our beloved animal friends will stay away from harm's way.

Safety measures put in place

Its veterinary director Dr Mat Naim Ramli told The Star Online that they have taken safety measures to ensure that the Coronavirus will not be transmitted to the 300 animals species they have at the zoo.

Among the measures include reducing the amount of movement of zoo keepers to the stables and cages to just four hours a day.

“Since the two or three human-to-animal transmission cases reported, precautionary measures have been taken, especially for those who are constantly exposed to animals or working in a zoo, ” he was quoted as saying.

After the news of the Malayan Tiger in New York contracting the virus broke, Dr Mat Naim said there was a possibility that the Coronavirus could spread from humans to animals if the patient had close contact with the animal.

However, there's no concrete evidence to suggest that animals could spread the virus to humans.

Animals that are infected would show little to none symptoms, Dr Mat Naim revealed, but he advised Malaysians to wash their hands every time after they handled an animal.