Daijiworld Media Network - Shivamogga (SP)

Shivamogga, Jan 23: The state government has issued orders suspending two officials from service for their failure to take prompt action and regulate spread of monkey fever in the district.

The suspended officials happen to be district health and family welfare officer (DHO), Dr B C Venkatesh, and deputy director of virus diagnostic laboratory here, Dr Ravikumar. The order was issued by Pankaj Kumar Pandey, commissioner for health and family welfare services department, on Tuesday January 22.

Kodagu district DHO, Dr Rajesh Suragihalli, has been transferred to Shivamogga in place of Venkatesh. Dr Shankarappa, district vigilance officer, has been asked to discharge duty as in-charge deputy director in place of Dr Ravikumar in addition to his current position.

The suspension order of Dr Ravikumar says that he had earlier been asked to hand over charge of his department to Dr Shankarappa and present himself in the office of the commissioner. However, Dr Ravikumar not only violated this order, but did not report for duty and was not available for contact, it adds.

Monkey fever which has been concentrated in Aralugodu gram panchayat in Sagar taluk in the district has so far accounted for eight deaths. Several people have been diagnosed with monkey fever symptoms and admitted into KMC Hospital Manipal, and continued death of monkeys has been worrying the people staying close to forests.

Udupi: Monkeys continue to die in district - KFD fear looms large

On Tuesday January 22, seven more lifeless bodies of monkeys were found lying in the district. Three were found from Saibrakatte Shiriyara, two at Byndoor, and one each in Basrur in Kundapur taluk and Nandalike in Karkala taluk.

Reason behind the death of two monkeys near the market at Byndoor could not be ascertained. Because, so far Byndoor has not witnessed prevalence of monkey fever so far while deaths of monkeys out of this disease were earlier reported in other places mentioned above.

Since over a day, people living in and around Prashanth Poojary's residence at Byndoor were hearing screams of monkeys. Their bodies were found on Tuesday. Veterinary and health department officials visited the spot and undertook postmortem. Veterinary officer, Shankar Shetty, health department medical officer, Dr Premanand, forester, Shankar, and others were present.

The officials also went to Nandalike where a carcass was found, collected samples, and sent the same to Shivamogga for testing. The other four bodies were in decomposed state when found.