Chennai
The Public Health department of Tamil Nadu has issued an advisory to both the Tamil Nadu forest department and local authorities in regions adjacent to Karnataka, as the looming threat of Monkey Fever casts a shadow over the bordering villages.
The incidence of Monkey Fever, also known as Kyasanur Forest Disease, is escalating in Karnataka. Presently, the disease has claimed the lives of two individuals, with 103 others currently hospitalized across Shivamogga, Uttara Kannada, and Chickmagaluru districts.
A study jointly conducted by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Virology (NIV) has verified the presence of the lethal virus in Mysore and Hassan districts of Karnataka, which share borders with Tamil Nadu.
In response, state health and forest authorities have intensified surveillance along the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border, given the escalating Monkey Fever cases in the neighboring state. The disease, known to be seasonal, witnesses a surge in cases during the dry season, placing forest staff, anti-poaching watchers, and forest guards in the high-risk category.
The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, shares contiguous boundaries with the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka. Approximately 200 field staff members spend nearly six hours daily in the MTR, potentially exposing themselves to the virus, which commonly thrives in monkeys, rodents, and shrews.
Monkey Fever typically incubates for 3-8 days before exhibiting symptoms such as chills, fever, and headache. Severe muscle pain, vomiting, gastrointestinal distress, and bleeding may ensue 3-4 days after the initial symptoms appear. Notably, there is no specific treatment for Monkey Fever, underscoring the importance of early hospitalization and supportive therapy.
