Siddapur: Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Roshan strictly directed officers concerned to ensure that there are no deaths in Uttara Kannada district due to monkey fever or other contagious diseases.

Speaking at a meeting organised to review the presence of monkey fever or Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), at the taluk panchayat hall in Siddapur on Thursday, Mohammed Roshan said that a woman from Siddapur taluk died of monkey fever on April 24.

Seeking details of the death and the cause, the ZP CEO asked authorities to get reports of people suffering from fever from hospitals of Siddapur taluk every day and prepare a list of those suffering from fever. “Every alternate day, ANM, Asha and Anganwadi workers must visit the houses of those patients suffering from fever to monitor the patient’s condition. Any person suffering from fever for the second time must be sent to bigger hospitals immediately. This alertness must be maintained until the onset of monsoon for bringing monkey disease under control,” he said.

The officer said that patients with suspected monkey fever must be given treatment on a priority basis in the taluk hospital. Special ward must be set up in the taluk hospital to treat patients suffering from monkey fever or other contagious diseases. Sisters and other staff members of the Health Department must work in the respective hospital compulsarily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. One ambulance must always be present in Kyadagi Primary Health Centre.

He said that the Animal Husbandry Department vets must give a certificate if it is possible to send the organs of the dead monkey for testing. And if collecting samples of organs is possible, then the organs must be sent to the laboratory without fail.

KFD medical officer Satish Shetty said that until now, they have received 2,852 vaccination for KFD and it has been administered to 1,160 people residing in the area where KFD is prevalent. This means that 99.6% of people in vulnerable areas have been vaccinated.

Probationary IAS officer Dileesh Sasi, Taluk Health Officer Lakshmikanth Naik, Taluk Panchayat EO Dinesh, Tahsildar Geeta C G and others were present.