Dublin Zoo has confirmed that a third elephant has tested positive for a virus which has left two other elephants dead over the last ten days.
Eight-year-old Avani and seven-year-old Zinda died from Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), in recent days.
The zoo has now said that Asha, a 17-year-old Asian elephant and mother of Zinda, has tested positive for EEHV.
It said Asha's age "may be an advantage in this situation".
"Being older, her body has had more time to develop antibodies to fight the infection, potentially giving her a greater chance of survival," it said in a statement.
"Our dedicated veterinary team is working tirelessly to provide Asha with the best possible care, and we are closely monitoring her condition. EEHV is a serious and unpredictable illness, but with early detection and the right treatment, we are hopeful for a positive outcome."
Currently, the other elephants in the zoo's herd are not showing signs of EEHV, however the zoo has said staff are "closely monitoring their health".
The virus is a type of herpes and can lie dormant for years before causing symptoms.
It has a very high mortality rate in animals under ten years old.
The virus is common in both wild and captive elephants and is "particularly aggressive", founder of Global Elephant Care Gerry Creighton told RTÉ News following Zinda's death.
Mr Creighton, who is a former Operations Manager at Dublin Zoo, described the loss of the two elephants as a "huge setback" for elephant conservation worldwide and said it was an emotional and devastating time for their keepers.
He told RTÉ's Drivetime that the virus was "very, very aggressive" but that older elephants tend to have more of an immune system.
"At the moment she (Asha) is 17, her immune system, hopefully, is much more advanced and has been exposed to much more things that it needs to protect and develop itself," he said.
"She is showing no symptoms and the team are very optimistic and hopeful, but it can change in 24 hours."
The entire elephant herd is being monitored - particularly the youngest female Samiya who is almost ten years old, the zoo said, adding that all are currently well.
Dublin Zoo said that it does not know when the viral outbreak will end but stressed there was no risk to any other species at the zoo or to visitors.
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