HONG KONG (AP) — 9 monkeys who died in Hong Kong’s oldest zoo in two days this week had been contaminated with an endemic illness, probably after some digging work close to their cages, officers stated on Friday.

Secretary for Tradition, Sports activities and Tourism Kevin Yeung stated in a press briefing that the animals within the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens contracted melioidosis and the illness later precipitated them to develop sepsis.

Yeung confused that such infections usually happen via contact with contaminated soil and water and that there’s typically no hazard to people from contact with contaminated animals or folks.

“We’re saddened by the passing of the 9 monkeys,” he stated.

Eight monkeys have been discovered lifeless on Sunday, and one other died Monday after displaying uncommon conduct. The deceased animals have been a De Brazza’s monkey, a typical squirrel monkey, 4 white-faced sakis and three cotton-top tamarins — a species listed as critically endangered by the Worldwide Union for Conservation of Nature.

In accordance with Hong Kong’s Heart for Well being Safety, melioidosis is brought on by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is widespread in soils and muddy water.

Yeung stated the park carried out digging work to restore some irrigation pipes below the flower mattress close to the monkey cages in early October and that the deaths is likely to be associated to that.

He stated the monkeys may need come into contact with the micro organism after the park’s workers walked into their cages with probably contaminated sneakers. One other chance is that some contaminated monkeys had shut contact with different monkeys, he stated.

“The incubation interval for melioidosis in primates is a few week and this matched with the interval after the soil digging work,” he stated.

Edwin Tsui, the controller of the middle, stated the incident solely occurred in a single zone and its impression on Hong Kong residents could be very low.

Yeung on Monday held an pressing interdepartmental assembly in regards to the deaths with the Leisure and Cultural Providers Division, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Division and the Division of Well being.

One other De Brazza’s monkey additionally displayed uncommon conduct and urge for food however offiicials stated its situation remained steady on Friday.

The Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens — the oldest park within the former British colony — absolutely opened to the general public in 1871. It’s a uncommon city oasis within the downtown Central district of the monetary hub, which returned to Chinese language rule in 1997.