25 suspected KFD cases turn negative

The test reports of 25 suspected cases of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) from Udupi district in the last few weeks have turned negative.

The people in Kundapur and Karkala taluks can heave a sigh of relief, following the results of the tests conducted at the Manipal Centre for Virus Research (MCVR). The Health Department officials collected the results on Monday.

Dr Prashanth Bhat, the nodal officer for keeping a watch on the KFD in the district, said on Monday that awareness camps about the disease have been organised in Karje, Tantradi and Barali, among other places. DMP oil was distributed in Brahmavara on Monday, he added.

Nine monkey death cases were reported in various places like Alevoor, Kaudoor, Padukudru, Hebri, Kasanamakki, Kuntadi, Molahalli, and Kodladi on Monday. The serum samples of four monkeys whose carcasses were found in Alevoor, Kasanamakki, Molahalli and Kodladi were sent to the Viral Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL), Shivamogga, for test.

In the remaining cases, the samples could not be sent as the carcasses were in decomposed state.

In Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, 26 patients – including one citizen from France – have been undergoing treatment for monkey fever.