Cautioning residents of forest fringes in Dakshina Kannada about Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also know as monkey fever, District Health and Family Welfare Officer M. Ramakrishna Rao on Tuesday said those with symptoms of KFD should undergo symptomatic treatment at the nearest healthcare centre.
Dr. Rao told reporters that those in forest fringes in Belthangady, Puttur, and Sullia taluks should exercise precaution in the light of KFD outbreak in Sagar taluk of Shivamogga. The KFD virus spreads from the bite of ticks that drop out following the death of infected monkeys.
Advising those entering forests to apply tick repellent DMP oil on their legs and hands, Dr. Rao said those with symptoms of KFD, namely high fever and headache, should immediately go to the nearby healthcare centre. All the primary healthcare centres and private hospitals in Dakshina Kannada have been made aware of the line of treatment. People have been asked to report to the Health and Veterinary Department of cases of deaths of monkeys in the region.
Except the death of a person at Beluvai owing to KFD in 2014, Dr. Rao said there had not been any other case of this viral infection since 2006 in Dakshina Kannada.
There were three cases in 2004, followed by 17 and 54 cases in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The department conducted a vaccination drive in the years following the outbreak in the affected areas in Sullia, Belthangady, and Puttur taluks, he said.
Dr. Rao said KFD virus infection was seasonal and more prevalent between December and May.
Awareness programmes
Medical officers and health workers in the PHCs near forest areas have been asked to conduct awareness programmes on KFD.
Epidemiologists from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Office have been asked to examine ticks from the places reporting monkey deaths.