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.
Last year, 54 cases were detected in the taluk. Govt provides free treatment if the fever is confirmed. * 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 treatment
Huda said monkey fever becomes fatal in the Malnad region when the monsoon ends and summer begins. She said the public, school and college students should be educated about monkey 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.
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. 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.