Monkey fever spreads to Sawantwadi, cases continue to surge in Sindhudurg

PUNE: The Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) or monkey fever, primarily restricted to Dodamarg taluka in Sindhudurg, is now spreading in Sawantwadi taluka.
Of late, the virus has been covering more villages in Sawantwadi, another taluka in the district. The virus has killed two and infected 30 people in villages of Sawantwadi so far this year.
The health officials have vaccinated over 50,000 people at risk, mainly farmers, shepherds, forest workers and people living in villages surrounded by forest in the district.
The population of Dodamarg and Sawantwadi at risk of contracting the infection is about 67,705.
The outbreak of the viral disease, first reported in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district in January 2016, has been keeping the public health department on its toes.
The virus infected a total of 440 people and killed 22 of them in Sindhudurg district between January 2016 and June 2018.
Officials have been enforcing tick and fever surveillance in the region to arrest the spread of the virus in newer areas.
Despite all these measures, the tick-borne infection is reaching newer areas.
“Monkeys keep moving from place to place. Their activity is not in our control. That’s precisely the reason for the spread. As for containment measures, we have identified high-risk villages and involved public in surveillance activity to contain the spread,” district health officer Mahesh Khalife told TOI.
Some steps are being taken to ensure public participation in surveillance activity. “We have announced cash prize for anyone reporting monkey death to us. This will help us initiate tick-control measures speedily,” Khalife said.
A monkey’s death by infection often indicates that humans are at risk. Hence, officials conduct insecticide dusting in 50m radius of any spot where a monkey dies.