Silvester D'Souza

Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Kundapur, Jan 17: The Virus Detection Laboratory at Shivamogga which conducted tests on viscera samples collected from bodies of monkeys inside the forests has since issued its report. The report has mentioned about the presence of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) virus, also known as monkey fever, in the samples.

The taluk unit of health department said that the report has confirmed that the monkeys are dying in and near the forest areas on account of contracting this disease. The taluk health department has written to the Indian Medical Association unit here, asking the medical practitioners to take all precautionary measures if patients display symptoms of suspected monkey fever.

Dead monkey being cremated at Kandlur

The first report about the sighting of a monkey's lifeless body was reported from Siddapur in the taluk. Thereafter, monkeys had died at Byndoor, Shiroor, Kandlur, Belve, and some places of Karkala taluk. The villagers living on the edge of the forests, who were already in a state of fear on account of death of monkeys, have become more worried now because of the laboratory report. Postmortem of diseased monkeys were conducted and viscera samples of a number of diseased monkeys were collected and sent for laboratory tests. Tests conducted on samples have confirmed that spleens, livers and kidneys of these monkeys had KFD infection. At the same time, it is said that presence of virus was not found in lungs, hearts, and brains of the monkeys.

The taluk health officials here have asked people who display symptoms of suspected fever to immediately contact taluk health department officials.