Brazil: Monkeys Getting Attacked in Brazil Due to Monkeypox Fears

Brazilians are now attacking monkeys, as fears are rising in the country due to Monkeypox. This comes after 10 monkeys were poisoned in less than a week in the city of Sao Jose do Rio Preto, in Sao Paulo state. There are also similar cases in other cities in Brazil as well.

According to the Associated Press, this is not the first time that Brazilians attacked monkeys because of an outbreak of disease. The country has had a long history of people attacking monkeys during outbreaks of yellow fever.

The attacks come as Brazilians fear that monkeys transmit the disease to humans. However, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris spoke at a press conference in Geneva and reiterated that the transmissions being seen now were spread among humans and not monkeys. She also said that "People certainly should not attack the animals."

Brazilian Environmental Police Stepping Up to Stop These Attacks on Monkeys

According to Brazilian news outlet G1, these misguided attacks are a result of a rise in monkeypox cases in Brazil. The government has tried informing people that the transmissions mainly occur from contact between humans, and not monkeys. However, misinformation is still prevalent.

The monkeys around where the attacks took place, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, have been described as capuchins and have been living free and healthy lives. However, the attacks on them have caught the attention of Brazilian environmental police, who are now placing the monkeys under intense surveillance to stop more of these attacks from happening.

Lieutenant Fábio Leme of the Brazilian Environmental Police released a statement saying that the population must be informed that these animals are not the transmitters of monkeypox.

Unfortunately, videos taken from a nearby ecological reserve show monkeys are getting sick. that several capuchins were getting sick. Cases of stoning, poisoning, and persecution of monkeys are also rising around Brazil. Authorities are stressing that local Brazilian monkeys such as capuchins do not pose any threat to humans since they do not have the new smallpox virus known as monkeypox.

Eight monkeys have been rescued by the environmental police, though one of them has already died and seven are showing signs of possible poisoning. They were taken to a local city zoo, but four more died, with only three managing to survive. It is still unknown what substance was used in the poisoning attempt.

Eight More Monkeypox Cases Recorded in Brazil, 15 Suspected Cases Being Investigated

Brazil is now facing rising cases of monkeypox, as 15 more cases have been recorded around the country. The largest spike in cases was recorded in the state of Pará with eight, according to Globo 1.

The Brazilian Department of Public Health also reported that 15 more possible cases are being investigated in other states. The state with the most possible cases is Parauapebas with six, followed by Santarém with four and Ananindeua with two.

Pará was the 17th state in Brazil with a confirmed case of Monkeypox. Currently, there are no efforts in mass vaccination for the disease in the country. However, the country's health ministry has been negotiating with the Pan American Health Organization in acquiring the vaccines.

Brazil, along with Spain, were the first countries to record monkeypox-related deaths outside of Africa.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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