- Man admitted to the hospital March 21 is in critical condition
- Health department warns people to stay away from wild monkeys
A 37-year-old man who is in critical condition after being attacked by monkeys in a Hong Kong country park has tested positive for B virus, making him the first person in the city to contract the deadly infection.
Hong Kong authorities are investigating the case and warning the public to refrain from touching or feeding wild monkeys. Anyone wounded by monkeys should seek immediate medical attention, the Centre for Health Protection said in a statement on Wednesday.
The man was admitted to the hospital for fever and decreased consciousness on March 21, agency said. Family members said he was wounded during a visit to Kam Shan Country Park, a hiking destination known for its troop of wild monkeys, in late February, the report said.
It’s not a new disease at all, headline is slightly misleading. It’s a well known type of herpes virus that circulates in rhesus monkeys wherever they’re found. It’s similar to the human herpes virus that causes cold sores, but is far more dangerous in a human than a monkey, because it’s much more likely to travel to the brain (human herpes viruses can do this too, just not as commonly). It’s been known of since at least 1932. It can be spread by close contact with rhesus monkeys. Lab workers have died from this when working with them in animal experiments, and personal protective equipment is worn when interacting with rhesus monkeys now. It doesn’t really spread human to human, partly because if you get it you have an 80% chance of death. For monkeys, it’s much more benign and usually just causes cold sore type things.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_virus
This is just the first time it’s been seen in a human in Hong Kong specifically, not the first time in a human in general, not even close. So if anything kind of the opposite of what you’re thinking. Anyways, just don’t touch rhesus monkeys and you’ll be fine. And if one ever bites or scratches you somehow get that thoroughly cleaned immediately and talk to a doctor. Herpes antivirals like acyclovir might be partially effective for it.