'Further prevention of deaths govt's utmost priority': Karnataka Health Minister on Monkey fever outbreak

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed that two people have died so far due to the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD).

Published on: Feb 15, 2024, 16:16:26 IST

ANIPosted by Yamini C S

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Confirming that two people have died so far due to the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) in Karnataka, the state's Health Minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, said on Wednesday that further prevention of deaths from the disease is an utmost priority for the government.

Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao. (ANI Photo)

Kyasanur Forest Disease is commonly known as monkey fever.

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"Two people have died till now. Further prevention of deaths is an utmost priority for us. We have set up our teams there (in Uttara Kannada district). We are spreading general awareness," Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters here.

Karnataka is grappling with the KFD. Besides two deaths from the disease, the state has reported 49 positive cases of monkey fever since January 1, 2024.

The Health Minister said that the government has issued guidelines regarding the treatment of the disease and the medicines required for the treatment have been supplied free of charge.

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Most cases have been reported in Uttara Kannada district. Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts have also reported KFD in the latest outbreak.

KFD is caused by the Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV), a member of the virus family Flaviviridae. Transmission to humans may occur after a tick bite or contact with an infected animal, most importantly, a sick or recently dead monkey.

Transmission to humans primarily occurs through tick bites or contact with an infected animal, particularly a sick or recently deceased monkey.

There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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