Potentially diseased lab monkey on the loose after truck crash in Mississippi

"A group of potentially diseased lab monkeys escaped after a vehicle crash on a main interstate highway in Mississippi. A truck carrying rhesus monkeys was involved in a wreck on Interstate 59 on Tuesday afternoon, according to a Facebook post from the Jasper county sheriff's department. The monkeys, which came from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, were infected with several viruses including hepatitis C and Covid-19, according to the department, thus posing a potential health risk to humans."

"The monkeys are approximately 40lbs, they are aggressive to humans and they require [personal protective equipment] to handle, read the department's social media post. However, a representative from Tulane shared a differing statement on the monkeys, WTVA reported. Non-human primates at the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center are provided to other research organizations to advance scientific discovery, said Tulane spokesperson Andrew Yawn."

Rhesus monkeys being transported on Interstate 59 in Mississippi escaped after a truck crash. Local authorities reported the animals originated from Tulane University and were infected with multiple viruses, including hepatitis C and Covid-19, posing a potential human health risk. The monkeys weigh about 40 pounds, can be aggressive, and require personal protective equipment for handling. Tulane issued a differing statement saying the primates belong to another entity and are not infectious and offered to collaborate with local authorities and send animal care experts. Law enforcement euthanized all but one monkey, and a search for the remaining animal continues.

Read at www.theguardian.com