Karnataka extends free monkey fever treatment to all; vaccine by next year

Bengaluru: The state govt has announced free treatment for all patients afflicted with Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), commonly known as monkey fever. While govt support was initially made available only to families below the poverty line (BPL), the facility has now been extended to those above poverty line (APL) as well.

"Members of APL families affected by KFD will now receive free treatment at hospitals registered under the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust. This initiative will benefit hundreds of families," health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Saturday.

Sharing details of the combative measures being adopted by the govt, the minister said a KFD vaccine was in the works at Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The first phase of vaccine trials has reportedly shown promising results, with human trials scheduled to begin in April 2025.

"Based on how clinical trials go, the vaccine is expected to be available by 2026," the minister added.

KFD, a tick-borne viral haemorrhagic disease, has been spreading rapidly in Malnad, the coastal region and in states bordering Karnataka, along the Western Ghats.

The condition, caused by a Flavivirus, has a fatality rate of 3% to 15%, significantly higher than the 2.6% fatality rate attributed to dengue. Environmental factors, including deforestation, changing land use, and deficient rainfall, have contributed to its spread.

The disease follows a seasonal cycle, peaking in summer before receding with monsoon. Since 2003, at least 59 people have died from KFD. Experts have warned that delay in treatment can cause multiple organ failure, leading to death.