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There are relatively few people infected with coronavirus in Gibraltar, and nobody has died of it. But the government is worried that the most famous residents may become infected: the wild apes.
For many, they are the real highlight of a visit to Gibraltar: the approximately 300 barbary macaques that run around the large rock in the middle of the British colony. It is the last free-living monkey population in Europe. Usually vacationers take photos of the animals and stroke them.
But that is exactly what is now prohibited. Whoever gets caught must pay a fine of 4,400 euros. Because researchers have now found out that the corona virus can also be transmitted to monkeys. But the government of Gibraltar considers it impossible that a person has infected one of them.
A press release said: "Because there are only a few virus cases in Gibraltar and the lockdown in the tourism sector was quickly put right, it is impossible for the monkeys to be infected with Covid-19. This should remain so. That is why we had to act."
Just 170 of Gibraltar's almost 34,000 inhabitants are officially registered as Covid 19 patients, and there have been no deaths related to the virus to date. Since the beginning of May, the government has been reducing the corona restrictions bit by bit, restaurants are now allowed to receive guests again, public buses and services are permitted.
The third of six phases of the "Unlock the rock" plan has started - the rock of Gibraltar should be unlocked again, said Prime Minister Fabian Picardo.
"We can celebrate that we are moving in the right direction. Not with a party, but rather with a pledge. That we continue to reduce social contacts and act according to common sense. But that is what most people in Gibraltar do. "
The ban on contact between humans and monkeys should last until August 1st.
To get an overview of how the virus actually spread in Gibraltar, the government is launching a mass test. Every inhabitant is said to be able to be tested for coronavirus antibodies - just like the population of Andorra, which also borders on Spain. A corona antibody test can show whether a person was infected with the virus.
"We offer the examination to everyone, we bought 50,000 tests. But we have to start the mass test at the right time. We are still waiting for our health experts to go."
A spokesman for the health authority once called the "happiness of Gibraltar" that the British colony has so far come through the coronavirus crisis so well. Because in neighboring Spain the virus spread very quickly, as did the mother country Great Britain. It would not have been unlikely that infected people would distribute the pathogen in Gibraltar from there. British Airways continues to connect the colony with London almost daily.
The ban on contact between humans and monkeys should last until August 1st. Then the plan "Unlock the rock" should expire, then Gibraltar should be completely open again. That's how long the Barbary macaques have to do without food from tourists and selfies with them.
