Forest watcher dies of suspected monkey fever

A forest watcher of negibouring Wayanad District has died due to suspected Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever, which has already claimed five lives in the past one month, officials said today.
48-year old Kunjan, a temporary staff in the forest department, was admitted to taluk hospital at Sultan Bathery on Saturday with symptoms of monkey fever shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital where he died yesterday.
However, the district health officials are yet to confirm the reason for his death.
"Blood sample collected from the person has been sent to Manipal Centre for Virus Research for further analysis", Deputy Medical Officer, Wayanad, K R Vidhya said today.

Five deaths, including those of four tribesmen, due to the fever had been reported in the district in the last one a month.
Having identified 3,486 persons, including those residing in forest hamlets and tribals who depend on the forest produce for their livelihood, as being in the risk group, health officials will launch a vaccination drive for them from Friday, Vidhya added.