Monkeys snatch Covid suspects’ samples

MEERUT: Sensation gripped Meerut’s Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical (LLRM) College on Thursday after a group of monkeys snatched some samples of suspected Covid-19 patients from a health worker, officials confirmed on Friday.

The Covid-19 testing lab is situated on the college premises and a health worker was on his way to handover the samples in laboratory when a group of monkeys attacked him and ran away with at least three samples being taken for testing. Later, samples of teh patients were taken again for testing.

The monkeys tore the kit and tried eating the sample. The matter came into focus after a video of the incident shot on a mobile by a person on the campus began circulating. Deputy superintendent of the college Dr Dheeraj Baliyan was asked to investigate the matter after it came to the notice of principal Dr SK Garg.

Dr Baliyan said the monkey menace was a big problem inside the college campus.

“The health worker was taking samples to deliver in Covid lab when monkeys attacked and ran away with samples. We tried to trace parts of torn kit but couldn’t locate it,” said Dr Baliyan adding,

“The entire area has been sanitized and the staff has been directed to take extra precautions while transporting the samples from ward to the lab.”

He said the monkeys many a time had attacked doctors and often entered the wards.

“Now iron net has been placed to protect wards and other places. But they continue to live in groups inside the campus,” he said.

He further said a ‘langoor’ had been hired to scare away the monkeys.