One fisherman's body found; five still missing: Palemar announces Rs 1 lakh for victims

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Savitha B.R)

September 17, 2011

Mangalore, September 17: The body of one of six fishermen went missing on Thursday after a trawler boat sank off the coast of Mangalore was found on Saturday evening, with a slash wound on his neck. However the whereabouts of five other fishermen who were on board the ill-fated boat remained unknown till.

Meanwhile, Dakshina Kannada District In-charge Minister Krishna J Palemar, who visited the fishing port and Estuary Mouth and held a meeting with fishermen community on Saturday, has declared a compensation of Rs 1 lakh each for missing fishermen's families.

Mr Palemar also assured to provide Rs 25 thousand as compensation for those fishermen, who had injured in boat tragedy occurred near Estuary Mouth on September 13.

Mr Palemar said that the Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has expressed deep condolences over the Thursday's tragedy and agreed to release compensation for the families of the missing fishermen.

The Department of Fisheries will provide insurance and other compensations, he added.

Dredging

Fishermen community leaders including perseen boat fishermen's association honorary president Umesh D Karkera opined that inadequate and unscientific dredging has contributed to the problems of fishermen.

Responding to this, Mr Palemar said necessary steps would be taken for dredging at 200-m-wide estuary mouth at the earliest.

Government has already decided to buy a new dredger for dredging in this part of the coast, he said.

Presently, the New Mangalore Port too does not have its own dredger.

Govt. to order NMPT

Deputy Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly and Mangalore South MLA N Yogish Bhat, who was present on the occasion, said that the State Government would officially order the NMPT to allow fishing boats to enter into the Port during mishap or any other emergency situation.

KFDC Chairman Nithin Kumar, Deputy Director of Fisheries Department Suresh Kumar, Port official Capt. Mohan, Trawl boat fishermen association president Naveen Karkera and Vasudev B Karkera were present among others.

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No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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