A total of 4,641 tests have been done from 1 January to 25 February, of which positive cases stand at 120.
KFD, also known as Monkey Fever, is a tick-borne viral disease.
A 57-year-old woman succumbed to Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as monkey fever, in the Shivamogga district, taking the death toll due to the virus in Karnataka to four since January this year, Health officials said on Monday, 26 February.
She hailed from Uttara Kannada district, one of the regions affected by the virus.
“One more death due to KFD was reported yesterday (Sunday) night. A 57-year-old woman died in Shivamogga. She was admitted to ICU for the past 20 days and was on ventilator support. She had multiple issues. Total death toll in the state due to this virus has now reached four,” a senior health official said.
According to the latest data shared by the health department, a total of 4,641 tests have been done from 1 January to 25 February, of which positive cases stand at 120. As many as 95 people have been discharged. As of date, there are 22 active cases.
The first death due to KFD this year was reported from Hosanagara taluk of Shivamogga district on 8 January wherein an 18-year-old girl succumbed to the virus. The other two deaths were reported in Uttara Kannada and Chikkamagaluru districts.
Earlier this month, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao held a high-level meeting with legislators and officers of the districts which reported an outbreak of the disease. The state government is also in talks with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for bringing out an effective vaccination, officials said.
According to Health officials, monkey fever spreads due to the bites of ticks that generally survive on monkeys. This tick bites humans which causes the infection. Humans also contract the disease by coming in contact with cattle bitten by ticks.
The authorities are carrying out door-to-door awareness programmes about the precautions to be taken. Those living in and around the forest area need to be more careful as they are at high risk of contracting the disease, they said.
It can be noted that the Health Department recently released guidelines to manage KFD. The guidelines focus on how the officials concerned should deal with suspected cases of KFD.
Human surveillance is important to manage KFD and to prevent morbidity and mortality. For this, the department has emphasised active surveillance.
The officials also need to consider areas where unusual monkey deaths are reported as hotspots.
Human surveillance should begin once an unusual monkey death is reported — usually one month before the start of the transmission season — wherein the field staff concerned will start conducting house-to-house surveys and listing all suspected cases based on case definition.
These listed cases will be referred to the medical officer concerned to arrange for sample collection within 24 hours of reporting. Also, suspected cases should be followed up for sample collection at concerned Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
Once a confirmed case of KFD in a human, monkey or tick is reported, weekly surveillance has to be done and this should be extended for an aerial radius of 5 km.
Meanwhile, passive surveillance must be done at the health facility in two ways. Fever cases that come directly to health institutions for treatment and cases that are suspected during active surveillance shall also visit the health institution for treatment.
The samples will be tested on a priority basis to ensure the sending of immediate results to the treating physician.
(With PTI inputs)
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