An intruder who broke into a snow monkey enclosure to scoop coins from a pond could have unwittingly exposed themselves to "potentially fatal" herpes, with authorities urging them to seek immediate medical attention.
A group of Japanese macaques live in Tasmania, at Launceston's City Park. Photo: Supplied / City of Launceston
Tasmania's City of Launceston issued a press release today, following the break-in at the City Park monkey enclosure on Tuesday night.
The enclosure, which houses a population of macaques - established as part of a sister-city relationship with Ikeda in Japan - is popular with tourists and locals, who toss coins into the pond.
Mayor Albert Van Zetten said the intruder caused damage to an electric fence and stole "coins out of the surrounding moat".
"Unfortunately, this action has potentially exposed the intruder to the herpes B virus, which is carried by the City Park monkeys," Van Zetten said.
"The virus is not considered a risk to the monkeys and exhibits symptoms similar to that of cold sores in humans.
"However, it is potentially fatal to humans, with more than 30 known deaths recorded worldwide ... [and] only one confirmed case of human-to-human transmission."
Van Zetten said symptoms of viral infection included "blistering, pain, numbness near the infection point, flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, headache, and fatigue, respiratory distress, encephalitis and neurological dysfunction".
The majority of macaques around the world carry the virus and there is signage at the Launceston enclosure stating that the monkeys on-site are infected.
Van Zetten said Tasmania Police and the Tasmanian Department of Health "have been advised of the break-in".
"We ask that anyone with information regarding the break-in contact Tasmania Police immediately.
"But importantly, council urges the intruder to seek medical attention as a matter of some urgency."
- ABC