This Jan 12, 2016, photo shows a monkey sitting on a fence in the Kam Shan Country Park in Hong Kong. (PHOTO / AFP)

The Hong Kong government has urged the public not to come into contact with monkeys or feed them, after a person who was attacked by a monkey tested positive for a rare case of the herpes simiae virus, also known as B virus.

It is the first human case of B virus recorded by the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health. Human-to-human transmission however is very rare, said the center.

The 37-year-old man, who had contact with wild monkeys and was wounded by them during a visit to Kam Shan Country Park in late February, was admitted to Yan Chai Hospital on March 21 with a fever and decreased consciousness. He is in a critical condition in intensive care.

The B virus is naturally carried in the saliva, urine and stool of macaques and such cases are mainly caused by monkey bites or scratches, said the CHP

The man's cerebrospinal fluid specimen tested positive for B virus by the CHP laboratory on Wednesday. 

The B virus is naturally carried in the saliva, urine and stool of macaques – a type of wild monkey commonly found in Hong Kong – and such cases are mainly caused by monkey bites or scratches, the CHP said, adding that human-to-human transmission is very rare.

An infected person may initially show flu-like symptoms that may progress to infection of the central nervous system, it added.

“When encountering monkeys, members of the public should avoid eating in front of monkeys, and avoid direct eye contact with monkeys to prevent it from being perceived as a provocative behavior,” a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said in a statement on Thursday.

When monkeys approach, one should slow down and refrain from getting close to or touching them, said the spokesman.

If a person comes into contact with a monkey or its excrement, he or she should immediately wash his or her hands thoroughly with soap and water. 

“In the event of being bitten or scratched by a monkey, immediate medical assistance should be sought.” 

The department also pointed out that the wild animal feeding ban area has been extended to cover the entire city. Anyone who feeds wild animals anywhere in Hong Kong without a special permit will be prosecuted and is liable to a maximum fine of HK$10,000 upon conviction.

Besides being a violation of the law, illegal feeding will also change wild animals’ living habits, making them dependent on human beings for food and, thereby, raising nuisance or even risk levels for the public, the spokesman added.

Besides continuing to neuter monkeys to control their population in the long run, the AFCD will step up education and publicity, such that more people will understand monkeys’ living habits and refrain from feeding wild animals.

While this is the first case recorded in Hong Kong, the CHP said such cases were reported in other places such as the Chinese mainland, the United States, Canada, and Japan.