Coronavirus: Monkeys in India 'escape with COVID-19 samples' after attacking lab assistant, video goes viral
India: It was later clarified that the sample boxes were later recovered undamaged
A group of monkeys mobbed an Indian health worker, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, and made off with blood samples that were said to be coronavirus tests, reportedly. A Twitter video of the incident that took place in Meerut, went viral causing fears that the primates could spread the pandemic in the area.
After making off with three samples and other medical supplies, the monkeys scurried up nearby trees, as one then tried to chew through its plunder, as seen in the video.
After the clip went viral in India, it was picked up by international news websites, with tweeps across the world reacting to the reports.
“WHAT IS HAPPENING? 2020 can’t be real!” posted shocked tweep, @moonscoutx. And, @NitroX72 tweeted: “We're definitely not living in the real world anymore.”
Tweep @wasabimevie tweeted: “I’ve been told by my mum that monkeys in India took blood samples of suspected covid-19 patient… 2020 is a movie and it’s between avengers endgame and planet of the apes.”
And, @EP403 commented: “As if 2020 couldn’t get any worse…”
Reportedly, the sample boxes were later recovered and had not been damaged. On Friday, Meerut Medical college superintendent Dheeraj Raj said: “They were still intact and we don't think there is any risk of contamination or spread.”
He added that the three people whose samples were stolen were retested for the virus.
Meanwhile, some news reports from India also said that it was later clarified that the samples were not for COVID-19, and that the monkeys were chewing on surgical gloves.
Coronavirus has been detected in animals, though there is no confirmation that the disease can then be passed on to humans.