Herpes risk in monkey enclosure break-in

An unidentified person who broke into a monkey enclosure in Tasmania may have been exposed to the deadly Herpes B virus, which is carried by the mammals.

Launceston City Council says coins were stolen from the moat of the enclosure at City Park on Tuesday evening.

“Unfortunately, this action has potentially exposed the intruder to the Herpes B virus, which is carried by the City Park monkeys,” council mayor Albert van Zetten said in a statement.

The macaque monkeys were a gift to Launceston from a Japanese sister city in the 1980s.

Mr van Zetten says the virus can be asymptomatically shed by the monkeys through bodily fluids and any material that has come into contact with the virus, Coin Masters including the water in the enclosure.

He said Tasmania Police and the state’s department of health had been informed.

“The majority of macaques around the world carry the virus and there is signage at the enclosure stating that the monkeys are infected,” Mr van Zetten said.

“We ask that anyone with information regarding the break-in to contact Tasmania Police immediately.

“But importantly, the council urges the intruder to seek medical attention as a matter of some urgency.”

The virus is not considered a risk to the monkeys but has proven fatal for humans.

Symptoms of infection include blistering, pain, numbness and flu-like symptoms.

The council says the enclosure’s electric fencing was damaged during the break-in.

Tasmania’s health department has been contacted for comment.