Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao has said that the clinical trial for a Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) medicine is under way. The medicine will be available once the trial is over and accepted as per the set procedures.
Mr. Gundu Rao, who visited Shivamogga on February 1, held a meeting with the officers of his department and reviewed the measures taken to avoid the spread of the infection in the district.
“The clinical trial of the medicine is under way. Once the concerned experts clear it, it will be free for public use. The government will make necessary arrangements to provide the medicine,” he said.
He appealed to the public, especially those in the Malnad areas and those living near forests, to consult doctors if they develop symptoms such as fever and headache. “I have instructed officers to raise awareness and take necessary steps to prevent the spread of the disease,” he stated.
A person, a native of Tirthahalli taluk, who had tested positive for the KFD, died on January 28. In Chikkamagaluru district, nine people tested positive for the infection in January alone. The infection spreads through ticks. Those who visit forests to graze cattle or collect firewood are vulnerable to the infection.
