: A group of villagers at Mathamangalam, near Pulpally, blocked traffic on the Sulthan Bathery-Pulpally State highway on Sunday morning in protest against the alleged laxity of the government in taking preventive measures to combat the spread of Kysanur Forest Disease (KFD or Monkey Fever) in the area.
As many as six persons of the village were admitted to various hospitals in Kozhikode with symptoms of KFD within a fortnight. Close to 10 monkeys had died of the disease in the area in a week, the villagers said.
Moreover, a troop of monkeys were in a critical state in the adjacent forest area, they added. But, the government was yet to take any effective measure to prevent the spread of the disease, they added.
Financial assistance
Though the government had announced financial assistance of Rs.20,000 to KFD-affected patients, it was yet to be provided to three patients who had been identified as KFD-positive and were undergoing treatment, the villagers said.
Traffic was disrupted for nearly two hours on the highway.
Later, officials of the Revenue, Health, Police and Forest departments held a discussion with the villagers and assured them that their complaints would be brought to the attention of
the officials concerned.
They said compensation to the KFD patients would be provided in three days and cages would be set up in the area to trap KFD-affected monkeys.
Two Forest officials would be deputed to monitor the spread of KFD among monkeys and undergrowth in the adjacent forest would be burnt to eliminate ticks that spread the disease.
Medical camp
A medical camp would be conducted on Wednesday in the area and a vaccination drive would be launched on the day.