The colorful birds have been a staple of the area...

Chinese officials spraying disinfectant as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus.

China has another crisis on its hands as hundreds of animals have mysteriously died in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.

At least 135 animals — including boar, birds and weasels — were found dead just in Chongqing, as Communist Party officials blamed the deaths on “massive disinfecting efforts carried out by Chinese authorities,” according to The Star.

The mass die-off comes as the Chinese government has deployed a fleet of disinfectant trucks to spray affected cities. The country claims to have “mobilized a force of 5,300 forest rangers to monitor wildlife in the area” and enlisted 200 “full-time supervisors” to monitor the situation. The sites where the animals were found will be disinfected — and the carcasses presumably burned.

The coronavirus, which started in a market in Wuhan, is edging toward pandemic status. By early Sunday, worldwide, 29 countries have confirmed 78,767 cases, with 76,936 in mainland China. The death toll stood at 2,461, and 21,259 had recovered.

This week South Korea asked residents of Daegu, a city of 2.5 million people, to stay home and Italy reported its first death linked to the virus.