Udupi: With virus of monkey fever found in the samples taken from the carcasses of eight monkeys in Udupi district, the district administration has taken precautionary measures and steps to raise awareness among the people to prevent it from spreading further.
Udupi DMO Prashanth told Deccan Chronicle on Saturday that no case of monkey fever has been reported in Udupi district.
“A survey is being conducted in the district and so far, we have not found any person with the symptoms of monkey fever or Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD),” Dr Prashanth said.
The fever was first noticed in neighbouring Shivamogga district, where several deaths were reported a few days ago.
In Kundapur and Karkala taluks, which share a forest border with Shivamogga district, carcasses of 37 monkeys were found recently. Of the samples collected from the carcasses of 10 monkeys, eight have tested positive.
The Udupi Deputy Commissioner has asked the forest department to keep a vigil in view of the deaths of monkeys. Though no such deaths have been reported from the deep forest, carcasses of monkeys have been found on the forests bordering Kundapur and Karakala taluks. Special gram sabhas were held in Karkala and Kundapur taluks on Friday.
Asha workers have launched a campaign to raise awareness against the fever in the district. Meanwhile, the samples collected from the monkeys will be sent to the Manipal Centre for Virus Research (MCVR) and to a laboratory in Shivamogga.
