Twelve monkeys die in Hong Kong zoo

Mass deaths of endangered monkeys 'likely linked to Covid', zoo says

Authorities in Hong Kong are investigating the deaths of 12 endangered monkeys at the city's Ocean Park after several tested positive for the coronavirus.

The zoo said in a statement on Monday that the 12 long-tailed macaques were found dead between Sunday and Monday morning.

The zoo said that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) had collected samples from the monkeys for testing and that "preliminary results indicated that some of the samples tested positive for Covid-19".

The zoo said that it was "deeply saddened" by the deaths of the monkeys and that it was "working closely with the AFCD to investigate the cause of death and to implement appropriate measures to prevent further infections".

The zoo said that all of its animals were being closely monitored and that it had implemented a number of measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including requiring all staff to wear masks and gloves, and disinfecting all surfaces regularly.

The AFCD said in a statement that it was "very concerned" about the deaths of the monkeys and that it was "investigating the cause of death".

The AFCD said that it was also working with the zoo to implement measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

The deaths of the monkeys come as Hong Kong is battling a fifth wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

The city has reported more than 1 million cases of the virus and more than 5,000 deaths.

The long-tailed macaque is a species of Old World monkey that is native to South and Southeast Asia.

The species is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).