Karnataka: Monkey fever scare grips Bengaluru, other parts
Bengaluru, Jan 23: Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka has been put on alert after the outbreak of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as 'monkey fever' claimed seven lives in Shivamogga.
According to media reports, till now there have been no reports of infections from Bengaluru, but the disease has been confirmed in Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Chikmagalur where over a 50 people are said to have contracted the deadly disease.
Meanwhile, with six deaths in Karnataka during January due to the tick-borne infection Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), the neighbouring states of Maharashtra and Goa have taken precautionary steps to prevent the spread of the disease in their states.
The virus responsible for causing monkey fever is a member of the flavivirus genus. It is transmitted to humans via infected ticks and has been largely associated with the death of monkeys in the wild.
Should a person come in contact with a sick, recently infected, or even dead infected monkey, they run the risk of contracting the infection.
Can
Kyasanur
forest
disease
be
prevented?
A
vaccine
does
exist
for
KFD
and
is
used
in
endemic
areas
-
of
a
disease
or
condition
occurs
regularly
in
a
particular
area.
Additional
preventative
measures
include
using
insect
repellents,
wearing
protective
clothing
in
areas
particularly
where
ticks
are
endemic,
and
avoiding
contact
with
dead
monkeys.