The Karnataka government has announced that free treatment for Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as monkey fever, will now be available to all affected individuals, regardless of their economic status. Previously, only Below Poverty Line (BPL) families were eligible for free care, but the initiative has now been extended to Above Poverty Line (APL) households as well. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao stated that APL patients can access free treatment at hospitals registered under the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, benefiting hundreds of families across the state.
To combat the spread of KFD, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is developing a vaccine, with initial trials yielding promising results. Human trials are scheduled to begin in April 2025, and if successful, the vaccine could be available for public use by 2026. The virus, which is transmitted through tick bites, has been spreading rapidly in Karnataka’s Malnad region, coastal areas, and neighboring states along the Western Ghats.
KFD, caused by a Flavivirus, has a fatality rate of 3% to 15%, significantly higher than dengue’s 2.6% mortality rate. Environmental changes such as deforestation, shifting land use, and reduced rainfall have contributed to its increasing prevalence. The disease follows a seasonal pattern, peaking in summer and declining during the monsoon. Since 2003, at least 59 people have died from KFD, and experts warn that delayed treatment can lead to fatal complications, including multiple organ failure.
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