One more person died of Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) or monkey fever on Thursday, taking the death toll due to the disease in Wayanad district to seven. Gangadharan, 42, of Chethalayam died at a private hospital in Kozhikode. District health officials confirmed it as a case of KFD after blood samples of the deceased were analysed at the Manipal Centre for Virus Research in Karnataka. The death of Kunjan, a forest watcher, at the Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, on Tuesday was also confirmed as a case of KFD, P.V. Sasidharan, District Medical officer in-charge, told The Hindu. Seven persons, including five tribesmen, had died of the disease in the district in a month, Dr. Sasidharan said. As many as 24 people with similar symptoms were undergoing treatment in various hospitals, Dr. Sasidharan said.
