Mississippi, a morning that seemed normal like any other ended up becoming the scene of Jumanji (but worse). Apparently, a truck transporting laboratory monkeys overturned in the middle of the highway, and three of them, described as “aggressive and infected” managed to escape. Imagine the panic, right?
Hepatitis C, herpes, and Covid-19, three monkeys running freely through the fields and forests, as if it were a prelude to living through 2020 again, and maybe this time even worse. Here’s the story that could easily seem like a Simpsons episode but actually happened in Jasper County.
The accident that unleashed chaos
It all happened on October 28 on Interstate 59, near mile marker 117. The truck came from the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center, and at some point lost control and ended up overturned in the middle of the road.
According to the county sheriff, several containers broke upon impact, and that was enough for three of the primates to escape. Of course, the alert quickly went viral on social media, and as expected, it caused chaos.
“The monkeys are aggressive and could pose a biological risk if they approach humans” the sheriff’s office posted on Facebook.
Only one still free
A few hours later, authorities confirmed that two of the three monkeys had been located and euthanized, and that only one remained on the loose, so the search continued through the night with drones, flashlights, and wildlife teams. They had to find that monkey at any cost…
Where did those monkeys come from?
The sheriff explained that the animals belonged to a company associated with the Tulane Biomedical Center and that his team acted according to biohazard protocols.
“The driver warned us immediately: the monkeys were dangerous and could only be handled with special protective equipment”
Tulane University calls for calm
Amid the commotion, the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center issued a statement trying to calm people down:
“The animals do not pose a contagion risk to humans and belonged to a collaborating organization”
But who’s going to take this scare out of our system? They also confirmed that a team of experts had been sent to the scene of the accident to determine exactly what had happened and proceed according to protocol.
Panic and memes
On Facebook, the sheriff’s post went viral within hours, and many took it with humor, asking if this wasn’t how “Planet of the Apes” started (and honestly, yes), but among all the memes there was also concern from local residents wondering how it was possible that a truck carrying infected monkeys could travel on a public road without any kind of protection.
Authorities responded that the transport of animals for scientific purposes is common and that federal protocols exist for it, although this time it didn’t seem like a very safe protocol.
A déjà vu
Something similar already happened in 2022, a truck also carrying monkeys overturned in Pennsylvania, and many of those monkeys escaped, causing the same chaos that happened here.
Three years later, the story repeats itself… and with it, the mix of fear, morbid curiosity, and distrust toward laboratories and their handling of test animals.
Authorities call for calm
Despite everything, experts insist that the risk to the public is very low.
The viruses the animals carried are not transmitted through the air or casual contact, and the priority remains capturing the last monkey before it gets too far away. But still, it’s best to stay calm and be cautious!