A case of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever, a viral disease transmitted to humans through a species of ticks usually found on monkeys, has been reported from the Panavally area under the Appapara Family Health Centre (FHC) in Thirunelly grama panchayat in Wayanad district.
The patient, a 24-year-old man engaged in collecting minor forest produces from the nearby forest, is undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital, Mananthavady, and his condition is reported to be stable.
The patient was hospitalised on January 29 after he was referred from the FHC The samples from the patient were sent to the Public Health Laboratory at Sulthan Bathery and it had been confirmed as a case of KFD, District Medical Officer K. Sakeena said.
Surveillance had been stepped up in the hotspots identified by the Health department on the forest fringes in the district, Dr. Sakeena said.
Frontline forest staff and the high-risk population on the forest fringes had been advised to use personal protection measures, including gloves and gumboots, and repellent lotions before entering forests, she said.
Forest personnel had been asked to collect details of unnatural deaths of monkeys in areas where the disease had been reported.
