Five cases of KFD infection reported in Shivamogga district; one in Chikkamagaluru
Shivamogga: Cases of the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) are being reported in the district, according to the Health Department, with five residents of Billodi village, Hosanagara taluk, reportedly being infected with the virus.
As a 55-year-old woman in the village was infected last week, the Health Department conducted a health check-up of the locals and found four more cases of KFD in Billodi. Of them four patients were found to be women and one was a man. The Health Department has stated that the health condition of the five is stable.
Cases of KFD infection were normally reported in the state from the start of January every year. A two-month advance in the survey this year, however, has revealed cases where people were infected in November, which is completely unexpected.
Since vaccination for prevention of KFD infection was halted three years ago, the Health Department is keeping watch for cases of the disease, as some of the cases were reported in places that were clear of ticks and carcasses of infected monkeys.
Farmers in Malnad region are harvesting their areca crops and undertaking other agricultural activities. Incidentally, four of the five positive cases reported in Billodi village are of people who are involved in arecanut cultivation and regularly visit forests.
In addition to Shivamogga, one case of KFD infection has been reported from Chikkamagaluru, with one resident of Kammaradi village in Koppa taluk being found infected with the virus.
As this is the first case of KFD infection in Chikkamagaluru district, the Health Department has increased its survey to find more cases.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
