Chikkamagaluru: Narasimharajapuram tahsildar Noorul Huda has directed all departments to coordinate and take precautionary measures to control Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever.She was speaking at an inter-departmental coordination committee meeting on monkey fever control at the taluk office.Huda said monkey fever becomes fatal in the Malnad region when the monsoon ends and summer begins. Last year, 54 cases were detected in the taluk.She said the public, school and college students should be educated about monkey fever. Health department should conduct fever surveys, collect blood samples from suspected patients and send them to the laboratory. Panchayat raj department should provide advice and cooperation to all departments.When monkeys die, animal husbandry department should conduct post-mortems, while forest department should dispose of the carcasses. If a death occurs in the forest, the department’s movement should be informed, she said. She added that the One Health community surveillance system has been established.PrecautionsChief veterinary officer Dr Vinay Kumar advised people to stay away from places where monkeys have died, saying ticks around the carcasses spread the fever.Taluk General Hospital infectious disease specialist Dr Akarsh said monkey fever is caused by a virus and is transmitted to humans by infected ticks. Unnatural deaths of monkeys are a precursor to the fever.He advised people visiting forests to take precautions against ticks and seek immediate treatment if they develop symptoms. If untreated, the condition can become serious and lead to death. Govt provides free treatment if the fever is confirmed.Dr Akarsh said monkey fever does not spread from human to human. The health department has collected ticks from forests and sent them to the laboratory.Taluk health education officer PP Baby, town panchayat chief officer RV Manjunath, social welfare department assistant director Patil, Govt First Grade College principal Dhananjaya, education department Seva Nayak, and representatives of various organisations HM Shivanna, Ramu, Vikas Chandu, Valmiki Srinivas and Chitrappa Yarabalu participated in the meeting.FOREST VISIT? STAY SAFE* Stay away from places where monkeys have died* Apply DPA oil to hands and legs before entering forests; avoid the face* After returning, wash in hot water; soak clothes in hot water and dry in sunlight* Apply tick-prevention medicine to cattle taken into forests* If fever, headache, body pain, red eyes or vomiting occurs, visit a govt hospital immediately for a blood test and treatmentSource: Health department
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