‘Don’t fear KFD, have knowledge about its transmission’

People need not fear about Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), but they need to have knowledge about the method of transmission of the disease, said KFD Fact-Finding Committee President and Retired IAS officer Madan Gopal.

He was speaking at a review meeting held to discuss precautionary measures taken to prevent KFD in Udupi district.

Gopal said people living on the fringes of the forest should be informed about the disease and should also be supplied DMP oil to protect themselves from the ticks that spread the disease. To achieve this at primary health centre-level, there is a need to come up with a project to bring awareness and also co-ordination among all the departments, including forest and animal husbandry. A nodal officer should be appointed in every taluk, he added.

“The report of KFD Fact-Finding Committee will be sent to the government on February 24,” Gopal added.

None of the human samples tested for KFD have turned positive so far in Udupi district. So far 129 monkeys have died and autopsy of 48 monkeys have been conducted along with testing of serum samples.

Precautionary measure have been initiated in the 5-km radius of forest areas, where the monkeys were found dead. The DMP oil distribution and installation of caution boards are also in progress. So far 3,850 bottles of DMP oil have been distributed, he said.

As many as 171 patients, suspecting to be suffering from KFD and from other districts, were admitted to Kasturba Medical Hospital in Manipal. Of them 146 have been
discharged till now, District Nodal officer Dr Prashanth Bhat said.

“Samples of 64 patients had turned positive whereas the samples of 107 patients had turned negative. As many as 25 patients are still undergoing treatment,” Bhat added.