--- title: "Gang of Monkeys Steals COVID Blood Samples in India" description: "A group of monkeys in India just stole a bunch of blood samples taken from patients who tested positive for the coronavirus." date: "2020-05-29" modified: "2020-05-29" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/monkeys-steal-covid-blood-samples-india" categories: - "Developments" - "Health & Medicine" --- # Gang of Monkeys Steals COVID Blood Samples in India ![A group of monkeys in India just stole a bunch of blood samples taken from patients who tested positive for the coronavirus.]() *\Image: Julielangford/Victor Tangermann\* It sounds like the opening of a bad apocalyptic zombie movie. A gang of monkeys in India stole a batch of blood samples taken from patients who tested positive for COVID-19, [according to *Reuters*](). We shouldn't have to tell you why this is bad news. The monkeys raided a lab at a state owned medical college in Meerut, an Indian city. "Monkeys grabbed and fled with the blood samples of four COVID-19 patients who are undergoing treatment. \[...\] We had to take their blood samples again," S. K. Garg, a top official at the college, told *Reuters*. Yes, it sounds like a hoax. But [multiple]() [reliable]() [publications]() are reporting the story — so while further reporting could undermine it, the monkey heist appears at the moment to be legit. While we don't know if any blood has been spilled yet, there's a sliver of good news. "No evidence has been found that monkeys can contract the infection," Garg told Reuters. We do, however, know with a degree of certainty that the coronavirus [originated in animals](). India is no stranger to monkeys going rogue and acting aggressive. That's in part caused by the destruction of their natural habitat, according to experts. ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()