Nagaraj, a forest guard, passed away after contracting Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as ‘monkey fever’, on April 20.
This is the first death this year caused by the illness. District Health Officer Rajesh Suragihalli told The Hindu that the deceased had been serving in Tirthahalli taluk. When he complained of high fever and joint ache, he was admitted to the Jayachamarajendra Government Hospital in Tirthahalli in the first week of April. He was tested positive for KFD, treated for five days, and later discharged.
After a week, he again developed health problems which prompted his being admitted to a hospital in Manipal where he died.
Autopsy results
The officer added that a total of 123 people had been tested positive for KFD this year. Autopsies were conducted on five monkeys that had died in the forest during this period, and one of them had tested positive for KFD, he added.
