The Hindu : Karnataka / Mangalore News : Report confirms prevalence of `monkey fever'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 11, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mangalore

Report confirms prevalence of `monkey fever'

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE, FEB. 10. The District Health and Family Welfare Office here has confirmed the outbreak of Kyasanoor Forest Disease, also called "monkey fever", in Sullia town. As reported in these columns, 38 people from Jattipalla on the outskirts of Sullia town suffering from a mysterious fever are being treated at the Sullia Community Health Centre.

The District Health and Family Welfare Officer, Mohan Raj, told The Hindu here on Thursday that the Virus Diagnostic Laboratory at Shimoga had confirmed the prevalence of the disease in the area.

The health authorities had collected blood samples of people affected by the fever and sent them to the laboratory a week ago for confirmation. The district office received a confirmatory fax message today.

Noting that 67 people had been affected by the fever so far, he said two cases had turned out to be positive.

Dr. Mohan Raj said an intensive survey was being conducted in and around Sullia town. People suffering from fever were being treated in the health centre, he said.

Besides, the department had launched an intensive health education programme in the affected areas, Ubbaradka, Mithoor, Yavate, Badanakaje hamlets in the vicinity of Sullia town. People residing in these areas were being advised not to venture into the adjacent forest areas, he said and added that they had been provided with mylol, an anti-tick medicine.

People had also been advised to wear proper clothing to prevent infected ticks from biting them. Besides, people who had to go to the forests for their livelihood were being advised to do so only after applying medicine on their person.

They had been directed to take a hot water bath after returning from the forest.

In addition, the department had taken up a vaccination drive in the affected areas. So far, vaccine had been administered to 470 people to build immunity in them, he said and added that the dosage would be repeated after a month.

The department had sought the support of gram panchayats to print and distribute information pamphlets on the disease.

Noting that Sullia town abutting forest tracts was prone to outbreak of diseases such as leptospirosis and "monkey fever", he said there had been a similar outbreak of "monkey fever" in areas covered by Guthigar and Panja primary health centres last year. Two patients whose condition deteriorated are recovering at the Government Hospital here.

Girl dies of rat fever

Our Udupi Staff Correspondent reports:

Ashwini (19), a student of I BA at MGM College, died of rat fever in Udupi on Wednesday.

The Deputy Commissioner, T. Sham Bhatt, told The Hindu on Thursday that the student had died of rat fever. This had been confirmed by the blood test of the student taken at the Kasturba Medical College Hospital at Manipal, where she had been admitted. Mr. Bhat said the district administration was taking steps to check the spread of rat fever in the district. Water being supplied to Udupi city was chlorinated.

He had directed the officials to take up frequent chlorination of tanks in the city and the district.

Any person suffering fever for three continuous days should undergo a blood test. Early diagnosis would help cure rat fever, Mr. Bhatt said.

Ashwini was the daughter of an employee of Mangalore Electricity Supply Company at Udupi.

The valedictory of co-curricular activities as part of the college day function, which was scheduled for today, was postponed to Monday because of the death.

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