Image Source: NDTV
Meerut: A monkey stole vials containing blood samples from three coronavirus patients. In a viral video of the incident, the monkey can be seen sitting on top of a tree in the hospital premises trying to eat surgical gloves.
Reportedly, the incident took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut Medical College and Hospital – a nodal centre for COVID-19 treatment and testing – three days ago.
The hospital authorities have, however, clarified that the samples were not throat swabs used to confirm COVID positivity but regular blood samples of infected patients who are being treated.
Meerut Medical College and Hospital principal Dr SK Garg said explained that the vials contained blood samples and not test samples.
He also assured that coronavirus samples are stored and transported in cold chain boxes, which means that such incidences will not occur with COVID testing samples. People living in the vicinity need not fear a spread of the disease because of the incident, he added.
He also said that there is no scientific study showing that COVID-19 can spread to monkeys from humans.
