A 43-year-old farmer, identified as Swamy Thimma Naik, from Kunjavalli village in Sagar taluk has been tested positive for Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever, on Sunday.
With this, the total number of positive cases in Shivamogga district since January 1 has risen to 17. This includes 14 cases from Tirthahalli taluk and three from Sagar taluk. One person has died due to this viral infection during this period.
Even though Mr. Naik had received three doses of vaccine against KFD since the past one year, he has been infected with the virus. He is being treated at government sub-divisional hospital in Sagar city at present.
Rajesh Suragihalli, District Health Officer, told The Hindu that the laboratory tests had revealed that the viral load in the blood samples of Mr. Naik was low and he was on the path of recovery.
Following the incident, the personnel of Department of Health and Family Welfare have been on door-to-door visits in Kunjavalli and the the adjacent villages on Sunday to create awareness among the people on the precautions to be taken to avoid coming into contact with the ticks that spreads the disease from monkeys to humans.
Of 17 positive cases, four persons are being treated as in-patients at various hospitals. Mr. Suragihalli said that, blood samples of 1,003 persons in the district suffering from high fever and pain in joints that are symptoms of KFD have been tested since January 1.
As soon as the blood sample is tested positive, the infected person would be hospitalised immediately and his health condition would be closely monitored. Such persons would be kept under medical observation. The objective behind this is to control the fever at the initial stage itself to ensure speedy recovery, he said.
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