Residents in Mississippi have been cautioned following reports that three aggressive monkeys have escaped and are currently at large. Initially believed to be infected with hepatitis C, herpes, and Covid-19, locals were advised to avoid approaching them and to contact the police if spotted. However, it was later confirmed that the monkeys were not carrying any diseases.
The incident occurred when a truck transporting the research animals overturned on a highway north of Heidelberg. The driver informed law enforcement that the primates were aggressive and carried infectious diseases. Officials from Tulane University, the monkeys’ housing facility, later clarified that the monkeys were not infectious.
Sheriff Randy Johnson stated that due to their aggressive behavior, the monkeys needed to be subdued. While some monkeys were euthanized, three managed to escape and are currently on the loose. The monkeys were part of a research program at Tulane University National Biomedical Research Center, which supplies primates to scientific research organizations.
The whereabouts of the monkeys remain unknown, and efforts are underway to locate them. The university is coordinating search efforts in the area, while the remaining monkeys are being returned to a facility in Louisiana. The circumstances surrounding the incident, including the number of monkeys involved, ownership, transportation details, destination, and cause of the crash, are still under investigation.
Rhesus monkeys, commonly used in medical research, are now roaming the countryside around 100 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi. The public is advised not to approach them, and to contact law enforcement if sighted. The Mississippi highway patrol is currently investigating the situation.