With the epidemic of monkey pox in South America, The monkeys in Brazil have inexplicably "laid guns", and recently, 10 innocent monkeys were attacked in a nature reserve in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
On August 9, local time, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris condemned the incident on a geneva-based reporter, noting that primates could not be blamed on the surge in monkey pox cases in Brazil, "What people need to know is that the transmission (of monkeypox) that we observed occurred between humans." ”
Suspected poisoned capuchin monkey found in Rio Preto, State of São Paulo, Brazil Source: Rio Preto City Hall
Brazilian media "G1" reported on August 8 that three cases of monkeypox had recently been confirmed in the city of Rio Preto in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, which subsequently triggered attacks on monkeys in the region.
Screenshot of Brazilian media "G1" report
In the local forest area, a team of environmental police and zoos has rescued at least 10 marmosets and capuchin monkeys in a week, of which 1 was tragically killed when rescued, and the other 9 were found to be poisoned, and 4 monkeys did not survive during treatment.
Guilherme Guerra Neto, a veterinarian and zoo manager, said it was unclear what substances were causing the poisoning, "they respond well to antitoxic treatment, and when they are healthy and able to return to the wild, we will send these animals back into their groups." ”
As of now, the attackers have not been found, but police have found monkey traps at the scene, and the county issued a statement saying, "There are probably signs that this is likely a deliberate action related to animal trafficking and the recent monkeypox outbreak." ”
Dener Giovanini, General Coordinator of Brazil's National Network to Combat Wildlife Trafficking, said, "Since the advent of information about this new disease (monkeypox), we have noticed an increase in cases of burgling, persecution and poisoning of monkeys in various parts of Brazil due to ignorance."
Monkey rescued in Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil Source: Brazilian media "G1"
Who data shows that Brazil has confirmed more than 1700 cases of monkeypox and 1 death, spokesman Harris stressed that although called monkeypox, monkeys are not the main spreaders of the disease, and have nothing to do with the epidemic, monkeypox got its name because the virus was originally found in monkeys for research in Denmark, and the disease is present in many animals, most commonly in rodents.
Harris noted that while the monkeypox virus can be transmitted from animals to humans, the recent global spike in cases is due to the spread of close human-to-human contact, and people "should be concerned about the human-to-human spread of the virus, not attacking any animal."
Harris said the best way to control the outbreak is to raise awareness among people at high risk and take professional care and precautions, "any stigmatization increases the risk of transmission, and if we stigmatize animals or people, it could lead to a larger outbreak." ”
Monkey rescued in Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil Source: Brazilian media "G1"
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