Reporter hospitalised with mystery illness after being bitten by monkey

A reporter who visited the Bangkok home of an obese monkey before it was removed by The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, is being treated in hospital after being bitten by the macaque. “Godzilla” found fame overnight after he was removed from his owner due to concerns about his weight.

Godzilla had been living at a market in the Minburi district of the capital and weighs more than 20 kilograms as a result of passers-by feeding him a diet of junk food. The average weight of a fully-grown macaque is 10 kilograms. DNP officials, concerned that the monkey’s obesity could be life-threatening, decided to seize him from his owner on Thursday. The day before he was removed, a news reporter visited his home on assignment. Now medical staff at Paolo Hospital Phaholyothin say they’re worried about the condition of PPTV reporter, Natcha Norphong.

It’s understood that on arrival at the home of the monkey’s owner, Natcha was initially reluctant to touch the animal. When the owner informed her that it was safe to do so, she approached the macaque, who then sank his teeth into her, biting right down to the bone.

According to a Nation Thailand report, doctors say Natcha’s white blood cell count has dropped to 3,000/ml. Normal levels are around 4,500-10,000/ml. It’s understood she is unable to get out of bed and, while no virus was detected in her blood, doctors believe she may have a bone infection.

A veterinarian from the DNP says monkeys can also carry rabies and tetanus. There is nothing to indicate that Godzilla was ever vaccinated.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand