Photo taken on Jan. 21, 2015 shows giant panda "Long Long" receiveing treatment at the Shaanxi rescue, breeding and research center for rare wild animals in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Giant panda "Long Long" died from canine distemper virus at the center on April 8, the fifth panda dead because of the disease. (Xinhua)
One more panda is dead after a virus swept through a care center in northwest China's Shaanxi province, the center said on Wednesday.
The panda was the center's fifth to be killed by canine distemper virus, which affects a wide variety of animals including dogs and large cats.
The panda died after three months of treatment, the Shaanxi rescue, breeding and research center for rare wild animals said.
The center managed to rescue four pandas that contracted the virus and no more are believed to be infected.
Prior to the epidemic, the center was home to 25 giant pandas. After the outbreak, the center sent its healthy pandas to reserves elsewhere in the province.
Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. About 1,600 of the animals live in the wild, mostly in the mountains of Sichuan, southwest China, while more than 300 live in captivity.
