Virus kills Calgary Zoo's baby elephant

CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Workers at Canada's Calgary Zoo were saddened by the weekend death of a 15-month-old Asian elephant from a viral infection.

The female named Malti was confirmed Friday to have the endotheliotropic herpes virus, a fast-moving disease that causes flu-like symptoms and attacks cells that line blood vessels in organs and causes internal bleeding and heart failure, the Globe and Mail reported Monday.

Zoo spokeswoman Laurie Herron said before Malti took her last nap Saturday afternoon, her mother, Maharani, was trying to help the little animal.

"She was trying to get her to stand up," Herron said. "It was pretty emotional for everybody."

U.S. pathologist Laura Richman, who works at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, confirmed the elephant's infection last week. Richman told the Calgary Herald in a telephone interview the ancient disease has only ever been cured with human drug treatment in four captive elephants, and there is no vaccine.