BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – A Capitol executive called on residents here to not harm monkeys like in other countries after monkeypox was classified as a global health concern.
“We discourage that act because our monkeys don’t have monkeypox here,” Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana told DNX when sought for comment.
International media have been reporting recently on the killing 9f monkeys like in Brazil where they are reportedly being poisoned.
Lemana said killing a monkey is inhumane, regardless if it is sick or not, and should only be done when an animal endangers the safety of humans in which case it will be euthanized.
She added the monkeys are part of the wildlife with decreasing population of endemic animals here.
She added that if a monkey ever gets sick from the virus, it will not be killed but will be quarantined and observed for 15 days or more until it gets better.
She also said that monkeys here in the province are not vaccinated for the monkeypox virus since there are no cases recorded in animals yet.
A person gets monkeypox through direct contact from an infected monkey since the virus is zoonotic that can can be transmitted from humans to animals, she said.
