HONG KONG — Nine monkeys who died in Hong Kong’s oldest zoo in two days this week had been infected with an endemic disease, possibly after some digging work near their cages, officials said on Friday.
Another possibility is that some infected monkeys had close contact with other monkeys, he said.
“The incubation period for melioidosis in primates is about a week and this matched with the period after the soil digging work,” he said.
Edwin Tsui, the controller of the center, said the incident only happened in a single zone and its impact on Hong Kong residents would be very low.
The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens — the oldest park in the former British colony — fully opened to the public in 1871.
Persons:
Kevin Yeung, melioidosis, Yeung, “ We’re, ”, Edwin Tsui
Organizations:
Culture, Hong Kong Zoological, Botanical Gardens, International Union for Conservation of, Hong Kong’s Center for Health Protection, Leisure, Cultural Services Department, Agriculture, Fisheries, Conservation Department, Department of Health
Locations:
HONG KONG, Hong Kong’s, Hong, Hong Kong, Central