Monkey fever claims one more life in Karnataka, takes death toll in state to 4 since Jan
Bengaluru, Feb 26: A 57-year-old woman succumbed to Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as monkey fever, in Shivamogga district, taking the death toll due to the virus in Karnataka to four since January this year, Health officials said on Monday. She hailed from Uttara Kannada district, one of the regions affected by the virus.
“One more death due to KFD was reported yesterday (Sunday) night. A 57-year-old woman died in Shivamogga. She was admitted in ICU for the past 20 days and was on ventilator support. She had multiple issues. Total death toll in the state due to this virus has now reached four,” a senior health official said.
According to the latest data shared by the health department, a total of 4,641 tests have been done from January one to February 25, of which positive cases stand at 120. As many as 95 people have been discharged. As on date, there are 22 active cases.
ALSO READ: Denial of entry to UK professor sparks political slugfest between Cong & BJP in Karnataka
The first death due to KFD this year was reported from Hosanagara taluk of Shivamogga district on January eight wherein an 18-year-old girl succumbed to the virus. The other two deaths were reported in Uttara Kannada and Chikkamagaluru districts. Earlier this month, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao held a high-level meeting with legislators and officers of the districts which reported an outbreak of the disease. The state government is also in talks with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for bringing out an effective vaccination, officials said.
According to officials, KFD spreads due to bites of ticks that generally survive on monkeys. This tick bites humans which causes the infection. Humans also contract the disease by coming in contact with cattle bitten by ticks.
The authorities are carrying out door-to-door awareness programs about the precautions to be taken. Those living in and around the forest area need to be more careful as they are at high risk of contracting the disease, they said.
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.
Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
