JOIN USThe Kysanur Forest Disease (KFD) — also known as Monkey Fever — has claimed its second victim in the state, with a 64-year-old resident of Siddapura, Uttara Kannada, dying due to the dreaded disease on Saturday.
The Siddapura death comes almost a month after a 58-year-old woman in Sagar, Shivamogga, died due to the disease. Bhaskar Ganapati Hegde, a resident of Malaguli in Honneghataki of Siddapura taluk, died while he was being shifted to a hospital in Manipal from Shivamogga.
Dr Ashok Kumar, DHO, said, “Two cases of KFD have been confirmed in Siddapura. Viscera samples from the carcass of the monkey had also revealed the presence of the virus. We have enough stock of vaccines and are creating awareness among the public about vaccination.”
The KFD surfaces in the Malnad areas from March to May, but has popped up as early as January this year.
In Shivamogga alone, 55 people have tested positive for the KFD virus, sources revealed to DH.
“Out of 55 positive cases, 22 people were vaccinated with two and three rounds of vaccination. As the mercury levels are beginning to soar, the KFD is also gaining momentum,” a medical officer
said.