Due to the monkeypox concern, Phuket suffers a loss of tourism

Tourists typically purchase fruit from merchants at the overlook to give to the 200 or so monkeys who live there. Fortunately, some fruit vendors have been feeding leftover fruit to the monkeys to prevent them from going hungry. Less visitors are travelling to Phuket to feed their furry companions, though, as a result of the recent monkeypox scare following the discovery of the infection in a Nigerian man. He fled to Cambodia, where he was apprehended, after authorities arrived at his condo to take him to the hospital. 27 people who had touch with the man have now been located by authorities; all of them tested negative for the virus.

According to local fruit dealers, during Covid-19 limitations, more people reportedly purchased fruit for the monkeys than there are now. Still, a few visitors come to feed the monkeys, albeit only from a distance. “We throw fruits to monkeys,” a fruit vendor said. We don’t approach them and avoid touching them. We wash our hands afterwards. At the monkey viewpoint on Koh Siray island, Phuket’s monkeys are missing out on their customary visitor feedings. This information was revealed following last week’s discovery of monkeypox in a Nigerian man in Phuket. Even though monkeypox has been carried by humans rather than monkeys, people are currently wary about approaching monkeys.