Hong Kong’s first human case of B virus fighting for his life after monkey attack

Centre for Health Protection says man, 37, admitted to Yan Chai Hospital last month after being injured by monkeys during trip to Kam Shan Country Park in late February

Macaques, a type of wild monkey common in Hong Kong, naturally carry virus in their saliva, urine and stool

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Wild monkeys in Hong Kong. Authorities have urged residents to keep their distance from the animals. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 10:38am, 4 Apr 2024Updated: 10:09pm, 4 Apr 2024

Hong Kong’s first recorded human case of the deadly B virus is fighting for his life in hospital after he was attacked by a wild monkey, health authorities have said.

The Centre for Health Protection said on Wednesday night that the man, 37, was admitted to Tsuen Wan’s Yan Chai Hospital with a fever and decreased level of consciousness on March 21.

It added that a test of his cerebrospinal fluid came back positive for the B virus, also known as the human simiae virus.

The man was currently in a critical condition and receiving treatment in the hospital’s intensive care unit, it said.

The centre said a preliminary investigation indicated the patient previously had contact with wild monkeys and was injured during a trip to Kam Shan Country Park in late February.

The man is currently in a critical condition in Yan Chai Hospital. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Macaques, a type of wild monkey common in Hong Kong, naturally carry the virus in their saliva, urine and stool.