Virus suspected in San Jose koi deaths

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 29 (UPI) -- San Jose parks officials say they think an interloper koi fish introduced a virus that nearly wiped out the koi ponds at Kelly Park.

All but 15 of the koi at the park's Japanese Friendship Garden died this month, likely due to a herpes virus that probably came from an infected fish released into the ponds by a member of the public.

"People come in thinking they're doing a favor by putting fish in the ponds," said parks spokeswoman Mona Favorite-Hill. "We think someone introduced fish that already had been exposed."

The koi were a gift presented several years ago by San Jose's sister city, Okayama, the San Jose Mercury News said Wednesday.

Officials told the newspaper while the investigators at the parks department are still running tests, their colleagues in Okayama are certain the koi herpes virus is the culprit.