Hong Kong authorities said that a bacterial infection known as Melioidosis was responsible for killing at least 11 monkeys at a Hong Kong zoo in the past week.
Part of the zoo, built in 1860 and the oldest park in Hong Kong, has remained shut since the October 14 when authorities reported the first batch of monkey deaths.
According to the report, the dead monkeys included the De Brazza species as well as one common squirrel monkey, cotton-top tamarins and white-faced sakis which are enclosed separately in five cages.
Authorities said nine monkeys died of sepsis after catching melioidosis. Autopsies found a large amount of the melioidosis-inducing bacteria in the monkeys organs, which likely came from soil near the monkeys habitat, they said.
Further tests are needed to determine the cause of death of the latest two monkeys.
Kevin Yeung, the city's culture and tourism minister, told local broadcaster RTHK that works at the zoo required digging up the soil near where the monkeys lived.
Workers were then believed to have brought contaminated soil into the cage through their shoes, he said.
"We have cordoned off the whole mammals section for the time being, so there will be no sort of contact between normal citizens with the animals," he said.
The bacteria is particularly common in moist clay soil. Even though it can affect both humans and animals, it is unlikely to be passed from animals to humans, authorities said.
The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens is the oldest park in Hong Kong. The gardens were built in 1860, partially opened in 1864, and fully completed in and open to the public in 1871.
It is located just above the city's financial cetnre and near government house, houses around 158 birds, 70 mammals and 21 reptiles in about 40 enclosures.
香港當局稱土壤細菌感染導致香港動物園11隻猴子死亡
香港當局表示，過去一周，一種名為類鼻疽的細菌感染導致香港動物園至少 11 隻猴子死亡。
動物園建於 1860 年，是香港最古老的公園，自 10 月 14 日當局報告第一批猴子死亡以來，該動物園的部分區域一直關閉。
報告稱，死亡的猴子包括德布拉札猴、一隻普通松鼠猴、棉頂狨猴和白面沙基猴，這些猴子分別被關在五個籠子裡。
當局表示，九隻猴子在感染類鼻疽後死於敗血症。 他們說，屍檢在猴子的器官中發現了大量的類鼻疽誘導細菌，這些細菌很可能來自猴子棲息地附近的土壤。
需要進一步測試以確定最新兩隻猴子的死亡原因。
該市文化和旅遊部長楊潤雄告訴香港電台，動物園的工作需要挖掘猴子居住地附近的土壤。
他說，據信工人們透過鞋子將受污染的土壤帶入了籠子裡。
他說：“我們暫時封鎖了整個哺乳動物區，因此普通市民與動物之間不會有任何形式的接觸。”
這種細菌在潮濕的粘土中特別常見。 當局表示，儘管它可以影響人類和動物，但它不太可能從動物傳染給人類。
香港動植物公園是香港最古老的公園。 花園建於 1860 年，於 1864 年部分開放，於 1871 年全面竣工並向公眾開放。
動物園位於城市金融中心上方，靠近政府大樓，在約 40 個圍欄內飼養約 158 種鳥類、70 種哺乳動物和 21 種爬行動物。
Source: Reuters
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