The monkeys attacked a lab assistant before escaping with COVID-19 blood test samples in Dehli, India, as reported by the Times of India. One monkey was spotted sitting in a tree chewing on the sample collection kit, as locals said they feared the further spread of infection.

While people first compared the coronavirus pandemic to the 2011 movie Contagion, in which a virus originating from a bat ends up infecting people in China, before spreading globally, it may now resemble another disaster movie.

One Twitter user said: “Dudes be like ‘my life is a movie’ yeah b**** 28 Days Later.”

In the 2002 Danny Boyle movie, 28 Days Later, animal liberation activists free chimpanzees infected with the virus, which then spreads throughout the United Kingdom. The post-apocalyptic zombie film follows Jim (played by Cillian Murphy) as he wakes up from a coma 28 days after the initial outbreak, and discovers London deserted.

Another said: “This is literally the beginning of 28 Days Later dude wtf. Please 2020 don’t unleash the rage virus on us I beg you.”

Joe Sharkey on Twitter said: “Not to alarm anyone, but we’re now in the opening scene of 28 Days Later.”

Others are comparing the monkeys escaping to Planet of the Apes. In Rise of the Planet of the Apes, a supposed cure for Alzheimer’s is tested on chimpanzees, but it results in them gaining a heightened intelligence.

Not only does it lead to the evolved apes, but the “cure” is also an artificially created retrovirus that causes the Simian Flu, which kills 99 percent of humans.

Charles Arthur said: “Can’t figure out if we’re living in Contagion, 28 Days Later or Planet of the Apes now.”

The Secret Barrister said on Twitter: “And now we’re living the prequel to Planet of The Apes. 2020 just keeps on giving.”

James Felton said on Twitter: “Scientists: We will get you a cure / Later: We stored our coronavirus next to the disgruntled monkeys, you’re getting planet of the apes.”

Ahmed Baba said: “Mysterious respiratory disease? Primates stealing the virus? Bruh, this is literally the plot of Rise of the Planet of the Apes.”

If three disaster movies weren’t enough, the event has also been compared to 12 Monkeys, the 1996 movie and 2015 TV series, in which a group known as the Army of the Twelve Monkeys releases a deadly virus.

One user said: “Right now, it’s just a question of whether we’re currently living the plot line of 12 Monkeys, Planet of the Apes, The Handmaids Tale, or 28 Days Later?”

But there’s no need to panic, as Dheeraj Raj, Meerut medical college superintendent, said that the sample boxes were later recovered and had not been damaged.

“They were still intact and we don’t think there is any risk of contamination or spread,” Raj said, according to AFP.