Vienna Zoo remains shut to visitors due to virus

Vienna Zoo is completely empty after it was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with its resident animals getting used to having no visitors.

The zoo was closed on March 12, a few days before the government imposed a lockdown in Austria.

Only 69 staff members of the 230 people working at the zoo are allowed to enter the premises on a daily basis to take care of the animals.

In an email to the media, the zoo's administration said they were receiving a lot of fan mail.

The lockdown measures in Austria were extended until Easter with the possibility of further extensions.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.