Mon Mar 17 08:28:47 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Reports First Kyasanur Forest Disease Death of 2025
**Shivamogga, Karnataka, March 17, 2025** – A 69-year-old woman from Chikkamagaluru district became the first fatality in Karnataka this year due to Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), also known as monkey fever. The woman, a resident of Kattinamane, died on March 15th while being transported to a hospital in Udupi.
According to the District Health Officer, Ashwath Prabhu, the woman exhibited symptoms of high fever and her condition worsened due to a drop in platelet count. She suffered from pre-existing conditions including diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. She initially sought treatment at a Koppa government hospital after experiencing symptoms following a visit to her son’s home.
While 46 KFD cases have been reported in Chikkamagaluru district since January, all previous patients recovered, with six currently undergoing treatment. KFD, spread through tick bites, primarily affects individuals who frequent forested areas for work or resource collection. Monkeys are also susceptible to the virus. This latest death serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by the disease in the region.
First Piper 