The Department of Health and Family Welfare will launch a campaign for vaccination for the Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) for the people in rural and forest areas of Udupi district by November.
Prashanth Bhat, District Nodal Officer, KDF, told The Hindu that the department had placed an indent for 1.25 lakh doses of the vaccine for KFD in the district. Nearly 43,000 doses were required for one round of vaccination. So far, 11,000 had been supplied. As many as 569 persons living close to the forests had been provided with the first dose. They would have to take another dose in the second month. So far, 457 persons had taken the second dose. Those who had taken the second would have to take the third after nine months (that is three doses in 10 months), he said.
The vaccine would require two months to become effective. The impact would remain for a year. Just because people had got vaccinated did not mean that they would not be affected by KFD. The disease’s impact would be less on those who were vaccinated, he said.
In areas where there were KFD positive cases, people would be given a dose of vaccine every year after the three doses. The department will keep a vigil on KFD for five continuous years.
As many as 231 monkeys had died in the district from January this year to May 21. Of these, autopsies had been conducted on 68. Of the 68, 14 had tested positive.
As many as 86 persons had been tested for suspected KFD in the district. Of these, two had tested positive. One person from near Kerady under Vandse Primary Health Centre limits, had tested positive on April 8, another person from Bada under Byndoor Community Health Centre had tested positive on April 12. Both had received treatment and had been cured, he said.
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