As Covid wave subsides, monkey fever returns to Kerala; authorities sound alarm

Kerala on Thursday (February 10) reported a case of Monkey fever in Wayanad. The tick-borne viral haemorrhagic fever was detected in a 24-year-old man from Thirunnelli grama panchayat’s Panavally tribal settlement. This comes as the third Covid-19 wave in Kerala shows a declining trend. The state, however, is still logging more than 20,000 new cases of the virus daily.

Commonly known as monkey fever, the Kyasanur Forest Disease or KFD is a seasonal fever and is endemic in India’s southern region. The youth is Kerala’s first case of monkey fever detected this year. Health department in the state has sounded an alert, asking locals to remain cautious.

The monkey fever patient is under observation at the Mananthavady Medical College and his health condition is stable, District Medical Officer Dr Sakeena told news agency PTI. No other cases of the viral fever have been detected in the state till now.

Monkey fever illness comes from the same family of viruses that also cause yellow fever and dengue. They are transmitted by monkeys.