High level of dengue, encephalitis found among Krabi monkeys
Krabi authorities are closely monitoring the local monkey population after many were discovered to have viruses.
Recent random blood tests on monkeys by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP)’s Wildlife Conservation Office confirmed the presence of pathogenic virus. Of the 50 monkeys tested at Wat Tham Seu and Muang Krabi Municipality, 11 were found to have dengue fever virus, 12 had herpes, one had encephalitis, four had both dengue fever and encephalitis, and one had Chikungunya virus.
Provincial health official Dr Paisal Kua-aroon said that his office had monitored the two areas for dengue in humans but found that the number of cases in Krabi this year had decreased. Officials would nevertheless proceed with measures to eliminate mosquito larvae with insecticide spray. He said the infected monkeys were the responsibility of the Department of Livestock and DNP.
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