The government on Sunday said the second isolated Common Squirrel Monkey from the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens had died, taking the monkey death toll to 11. The death of the Common Squirrel Monkey followed earlier news of a tenth death, also of a Common Squirrel Monkey. Both had been in isolation following a spate of monkey deaths at the gardens that began about a week ago. On Friday, the government said nine monkeys had died of sepsis after catching melioidosis, potentially because workers dug up soil near their habitat. Autopsies found a large amount of a bacteria that causes the disease in the monkeys' organs. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will conduct necropsy to see whether the cause of death was the same as the other cases earlier. One monkey, a De Brazza Monkey, remains in isolation. Officials added that the bacteria are unlikely to be transmitted from animals to humans.
