Dakshin Kannada DHO rules out rumors of KFD in district; says “All tested samples reported negative”

Mangaluru: Dakshin Kannada, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. Ramakrishna, on Wednesday while speaking to reporters, ruled out the rumors of Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) break out in the district, and confirmed that all the collected samples onsuspicion of KFD have been reported negative after adequate tests. He added that in last one month about 22 monkey deaths were reported in the district of which samples of five monkeys were collected after autopsy and were sent for testing. “Off the five monkey samples which were initially sent to Shivmoga and later to Pune for testing, four have been reported negative, while one of the report is awaited since it was sent recently, it should come within a couple of a days” Dr. Ramakrishna added. He further added that eleven samples of human were also sent for testing, which were also reported negative. “As for now, we don’t have any cases of KFD in the district, but we can’t take it lightly as the virus is very active between December – May every year. We have supplied adequate medicine to the people living in the remote forest areas” Dr. Ramakrishna told reporters. “People should report every monkey deaths in their locality, immediately to the administration” Dr. Ramakrishna advised. Cases of KFD have been found positive in monkeys and humans in several districts of the state including Shivmoga, recently, which has led to panic among residents. Source: Vartha Bharathi