Thief who scooped cash out of ape enclosure pond ‘could now have deadly herpes’

A thief who broke into a monkey enclosure to steal coins from a pond could have unwittingly caught "potentially fatal" herpes, authorities have warned.

The concerning warning was issued today (August 10) after the break-in took place last night at City Park in Launceston, Tasmania.

The enclosure is home to a population of Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys, who attract tourists and locals alike who then toss coins into the pond.

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However, the majority of macaques around the world carry the herpes B virus – including the monkeys at City Park, as a sign next to the enclosure advises.

Mayor Albert Van Zetten said: "Unfortunately, this action has potentially exposed the intruder to the herpes B virus, which is carried by the City Park monkeys.

"The virus is not considered a risk to the monkeys and exhibits symptoms similar to that of cold sores in humans."

For humans who contract the illness, however, consequences can be more concerning – and can even lead to death.

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Van Zetten advised that symptoms include "blistering, pain, numbness near the infection point, flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, headache, and fatigue, respiratory distress, encephalitis [inflammation of the brain's active tissues] and neurological dysfunction".

More than thirty deaths have been caused as a result of contracting the virus – although so far there has only been one confirmed case of human-to-human transmission.

The Mayor also claimed the robber caused damage to an electric fence of the enclosure and stole "coins out of the surrounding moat".

Van Zetten confirmed that Tasmania Police and the Tasmanian Department of Health had been notified of the break-in and were aware of the potential risks posed.

"We ask that anyone with information regarding the break-in contact Tasmania Police immediately," he continued.

"But importantly, [the] council urges the intruder to seek medical attention as a matter of some urgency."

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