Vaccination drive against Kyasanur Forest Disease from today

The tick-borne viral disease was first reported from Kyasanur in 1957

December 02, 2015 12:00 am | Updated March 24, 2016 01:23 pm IST - Shivamogga:

The Department of Health and Family Welfare will undertake a vaccination drive against the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever, in the district from December 2 to 5.

KFD is a tick-borne viral disease that was first reported in 1957 from Kyasanur, a village in Shivamogga district. The disease gets transmitted from monkeys to humans through tick bite. The disease is characterised by high fever, pain in the joints, bleeding in nose and gums. In the last 58 years, 531 persons have died of KFD in the State.

S.K. Kiran, Field Medical Officer of KFD, has said that the vaccine would be administered to 31,550 people this year. The department has identified 805 habitats in Tirthahalli and Hosanagar taluks as KFD-affected areas. Those between the ages of 6 to 65 will be covered under the vaccination drive, he said.

In all, 216 personnel, drawn from the Department of Health and Family Welfare, anganwadi centres and from among the Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA), have been assigned with the duty of administering the vaccine, he said.

The department plans to administer three doses of the vaccine to ensure complete protection against the disease.

The second round of vaccination would be taken up during January and the third one, which is known as booster dose, would be administered in June 2016.

A total of 92 KFD positive cases were reported in the district in 2012, followed by three in 2013, 143 in 2014 and 41 this year. According to the existing guidelines, vaccination would be undertaken in the five-km radius of the place where KFD positive cases had been reported.

531 people have died of Kyasanur Forest Disease in Karnataka since 1957

It gets transmitted from monkeys to humans through tick bite

Major symptoms comprise high fever, joint pain, bleeding in nose and gums

It is proposed to cover 31,550 people under this year’s drive

About 805 places have been identified in Tirthahalli and Hosanagar taluks as most affected areas

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