New vaccine for KFD likely to be ready next year, says Dinesh Gundu Rao
Udupi: Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Saturday, February 10, that with the concurrence of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Ltd, has been asked to develop a vaccine to prevent Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD).
Speaking to presspersons in Udupi after holding a meeting with Health Department officials of KFD-affected districts, the Minister said that the vaccine against KFD developed earlier has been found ineffective. Hence, a new vaccine will have to be developed through research and development.
The Minister said that the Karnataka government will bear the cost of developing the new vaccine. “I hope the new vaccine to be developed by Indian Immunologicals Ltd. (which also develops other human vaccines) might be ready by next year,” he said.
Mr. Rao said that the KFD claimed two lives in the State recently. In the tests conducted, 70 persons were found positive for the disease. Of them, a majority of 38 persons were in Uttara Kannada and 25 persons were in Shivamogga. Of the 20 active cases now two persons are in ICU. Other persons who tested positive have been discharged after treatment.
The priority of the Health Department is to prevent the deaths due to the disease which aggravated between January and March.