PERNEM: After Sattari and Valpoi, it looks like Pernem is also getting affected with monkey fever disease, at least the fear of it has gripped the people of the area. Under the jurisdiction of Torxem village Panchayat of Patradevi, around seven bodies of monkeys were found in the last 15 days.
Last week, two carcasses of monkeys were found and this week, on Thursday morning, two more bodies were found at 100 metre distance from Hitatma Smarak.
On Thursday morning, a team led by the Forest & Panchayat Minister Rajendra Arlekar, Zilla Panchayat member Ramesh Sawal, Sarpanch of Torxem Vilas Shetye, Dy Sarpanch Nilesh Mote, Health Department official Kerkar, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Pernem Dr Yogesh Naik, Dr D N Parab, Forest Department officials Sunil Naik, Vilas Gawas, Ashok Goshale visited the site and instructed people to get themselves vaccinated.
Sources said, plantation of bananas and pineapple have come up in area of Banda and hence several animals are frequenting the area. Also to keep the plantation safe, some are even spraying chemicals and pesticides. Consuming such “poison” could also lead to the death of animals.
On the other hand, due the increase in humidity, monkey fever is spreading in Banda and surrounding areas of Maharashtra where a number of people have been reported with the illness. With the increase in patients, the affected people of Degve, Panval, Dingane and Satmat are now being shifted to hospitals in Shindadurg or to GMC, Bambolim.Sources also said that till now, monkey fever has claimed at least three to four persons in these areas. But this fever has not reached Patradevi or the surrounding areas of Goa. However, the health department has appealed to persons suffering from fever to get their blood samples tested.
Ramesh Sawal ZP member said, “We have requested to set up camps and conduct vaccination programmmes in our village. Before getting vaccinated, blood samples will be checked. Survey was conducted yesterday and till now no one has been found to be affected with monkey fever in Patradevi but there are many people in Banda and adjoining areas who have been affected by this fever.
People working in the forest department will be vaccinated first and then the locals who visit the jungle on a daily basis. In case of emergency, we have a hospital at Banda, three km from here where medication for this disease in available.
Forest & Panchayat Minister Rajendra Arlekar said, “I have already instructed the locals and forest officials to take vaccination immediately. It is not yet revealed whether it is monkey fever or not. The report of the blood test is yet to received so only when we receive the report, we will get to know what is it exactly. We will get this report in the next four to five days.”
Dr Yogesh Naik of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Pernem said, “We have sent the blood samples of the monkey carcasses to a laboratory in Pune and the result of the same will be received next week. If the reports are positive, all forest officials and locals frequenting the jungles will be vaccinated. Also while going to the jungle, these people will be required to fully cover their body.”
