Mississippi truck crash frees lab monkeys, with 3 still on the loose

"The hunt for the missing monkeys was documented in a string of Facebook posts from the Jasper County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday. Police said the monkeys were being transported from Tulane University in New Orleans, urging people not to approach the animals and instead call 911. Personal protective equipment would be needed to handle the animals, the sheriff's department said."

"Officials later posted that the driver of the truck had told local law enforcement that the rhesus monkeys were "aggressive" and infected with hepatitis C, herpes and coronavirus. "All but one of the escaped monkeys have been destroyed," the sheriff's office said Tuesday. In an update to the same post, it said there were actually three monkeys on the loose."

"But in its final post on the subject, the sheriff's office shared a statement from Tulane saying the monkeys hadn't been infected with anything. The sheriff's office defended its handling of the incident, saying it "took the appropriate actions after being given that information from the person transporting the monkeys." It was unclear how many monkeys were being transported and how many were killed. The Jasper County Sheriff's Department and Sheriff Randy Johnson did not immediately respond to requests for comment early Wednesday."

A truck carrying rhesus monkeys overturned on Interstate 59 in Mississippi, allowing some primates to escape. Jasper County deputies posted a Facebook alert urging people not to approach the animals and to call 911, noting personal protective equipment would be required. The transport driver told local law enforcement the monkeys were aggressive and infected with hepatitis C, herpes and coronavirus. Deputies reported that all but one of the escaped monkeys had been destroyed, and later corrected the number on the loose to three. Tulane's veterinary staff later verified the monkeys had not been exposed to infectious agents. The total number transported and killed remained unclear.

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