<p>The delay in developing a new, improved vaccine for Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), popularly known as Monkey Fever, has continued to claim lives in the malnad region.</p>.<p>Karnataka has recorded 29 KFD deaths from 2021 to April 2026.</p>.<p>Uttara Kannada tops the state with 14 deaths, followed by Shivamogga with 8 and Chikkamagaluru with 7. Shivamogga recorded four deaths and Uttara Kannada one so far this year.</p>.<p>The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is developing an improved, indigenous two-dose vaccine for KFD, which has entered phase one human trials. The new vaccine aims to replace the older, less effective vaccine discontinued in 2022, which was used to prevent tick-borne infections in Karnataka.</p>.<p>District Health Officer Nataraj told DH that the human trials are underway and the new vaccine may not be available immediately but is expected to be effective. Meanwhile, people of the malnad region must avoid straying into forest areas till July as KFD cases rise during summer when infected ticks become active in high temperatures. People visit forests to collect dry leaves for organic manure, but the risk of being bitten by infected ticks is high during this period.</p>.<p><strong>‘DMP oil’</strong></p>.<p>“If entering the forest is unavoidable, apply DMP oil on exposed parts of the body before stepping in. There is no shortage of DMP oil in the state,” he said.</p>.<p>Out of 13,337 blood samples tested across the state in the last four months, 183 tested positive. The number of tick positive cases was four so far, higher than in all years except 2024.</p>.<p>Though health department officials are testing samples from Belagavi, Hassan, Kodagu, Haveri, Gadag, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Mysuru, most positive cases are reported in Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Uttara Kannada.</p>.<p>Since symptoms of KFD resemble those of common illnesses such as fever, headache, muscle pain and vomiting, the department tests blood samples of suspected cases from other districts as a precaution.</p>.<p>The KFD virus may be present in reservoir animals including rodents, shrews, cattle, porcupines, deer, squirrels, monkeys, leopards and bison in the Western Ghats region. These animals get infected when bitten by infected ticks. Only monkeys die after being bitten. KFD cases were reported in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar in 2013, and samples from this region continue to be tested.</p>.<p>The infected ticks may be present in any forest area of the country, but cases are not reported unless humans come in contact with them.</p>
<p>The delay in developing a new, improved vaccine for Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), popularly known as Monkey Fever, has continued to claim lives in the malnad region.</p>.<p>Karnataka has recorded 29 KFD deaths from 2021 to April 2026.</p>.<p>Uttara Kannada tops the state with 14 deaths, followed by Shivamogga with 8 and Chikkamagaluru with 7. Shivamogga recorded four deaths and Uttara Kannada one so far this year.</p>.<p>The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is developing an improved, indigenous two-dose vaccine for KFD, which has entered phase one human trials. The new vaccine aims to replace the older, less effective vaccine discontinued in 2022, which was used to prevent tick-borne infections in Karnataka.</p>.<p>District Health Officer Nataraj told DH that the human trials are underway and the new vaccine may not be available immediately but is expected to be effective. Meanwhile, people of the malnad region must avoid straying into forest areas till July as KFD cases rise during summer when infected ticks become active in high temperatures. People visit forests to collect dry leaves for organic manure, but the risk of being bitten by infected ticks is high during this period.</p>.<p><strong>‘DMP oil’</strong></p>.<p>“If entering the forest is unavoidable, apply DMP oil on exposed parts of the body before stepping in. There is no shortage of DMP oil in the state,” he said.</p>.<p>Out of 13,337 blood samples tested across the state in the last four months, 183 tested positive. The number of tick positive cases was four so far, higher than in all years except 2024.</p>.<p>Though health department officials are testing samples from Belagavi, Hassan, Kodagu, Haveri, Gadag, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Mysuru, most positive cases are reported in Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru and Uttara Kannada.</p>.<p>Since symptoms of KFD resemble those of common illnesses such as fever, headache, muscle pain and vomiting, the department tests blood samples of suspected cases from other districts as a precaution.</p>.<p>The KFD virus may be present in reservoir animals including rodents, shrews, cattle, porcupines, deer, squirrels, monkeys, leopards and bison in the Western Ghats region. These animals get infected when bitten by infected ticks. Only monkeys die after being bitten. KFD cases were reported in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar in 2013, and samples from this region continue to be tested.</p>.<p>The infected ticks may be present in any forest area of the country, but cases are not reported unless humans come in contact with them.</p>
