Second KFD death reported in Karnataka this year; Health Dept. holds meeting

One more person has died due to Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), increasing the death toll due to the viral infection to two this year.

A 79-year-old person, a native of Sringeri taluk in Chikkamagaluru, died in a private hospital at Manipal in Udupi district on Friday. On January 8, an 18-year-old girl from Hosanagar taluk in Shivamogga died of the virus in Manipal. So far, 49 positive cases of KFD have been reported in the State this year. That includes 34 in Uttara Kannada, 12 in Shivamogga, and three in Chikkamagaluru district.

Following the two deaths and the increase in the number of KFD cases, Commissioner for Health and Family Welfare Department D. Randeep visited Shivamogga on Saturday and held a meeting with officers from Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, and Chikkamagaluru districts. He and other senior officers of the department reviewed the preparedness to tackle the spread of the disease.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Mr. Randeep said that since January 1 this year, the staff collected 2,288 samples from localities wherever cases were reported, and among them, 49 tested positive. “Two people have died. In one case, the person was 79 years old and was bedridden for other health issues,” he said. “We have released a guideline and there is a strict treatment protocol to be followed,” he said.

KFD is spread through ticks in forest areas. People who visit forest areas to collect firewood or to graze cattle attract the disease. The department had been distributing DEPA oil, a tick-repellent liquid, to people in affected areas. “So far, we have distributed 45,926 bottles. Besides that, we have 32,000 bottles in stock. The supplier has kept 50,000 bottles ready,” he said.

No vaccine available

Answering a question, Mr. Randeep said that as of now there was no vaccination for the disease. The vaccination provided earlier had been found ineffective. “We have approached ICMR for vaccination. The institute has been in touch with Indian Immunological Ltd. for manufacturing of vaccines. As the process takes six to nine months, it would not be available for the current season,” he said.

Regarding the discrepancies in reporting the positive cases at Viral Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL), the officer said the issue had come to the attention of the department. A team of senior officers conducted an inquiry into the issue and noticed violation of protocol. “Suitable action would be taken if any wrongdoing was noticed,” he said.

The officer said that as of now, all blood samples were being tested at VDL in Shivamogga. There had been a proposal to set up a lab in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada district, which needs clearance from the National Institute of Virology in Pune.