The death toll in the post-flood outbreak of suspected leptospirosis, a communicable disease known commonly as rat fever and caused by direct contact with body fluids – usually urine – of infected animals, in Kerala in the past one week rose to 32 with the eight more persons including four women dying with symptoms of infection on Sunday.
Following the worsening of the disease situation, the Health Department issued extreme alert in 13 of the 14 districts in the State. It opened a control room at the District Medical Office in Kozhikode, the district worst hit by the disease so far, and asked those suffering from fever and showing symptoms to seek urgent medical assistance.
Of the eight deaths reported on Sunday, three were confirmed as cases of leptospirosis. Rat fever was confirmed on Sunday in 33 persons undergoing treatment. As many as 85 patients with symptoms were undergoing treatment in the isolation ward at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode, the district with the highest number of leptospirosis cases.
A 17-member doctors’ team deployed by the Union Health Department has started functioning in Kozhikode district while special wards have been set up in all the district hospitals there. Temporary hospitals with one doctor and one nurse each will start functioning at 16 places in Kozhikode district by Monday.
Thousands of people had sought medical assistance with symptoms of leptospirosis at the Government hospitals in Kerala in the past one month. The rush of patients with symptoms had increased since August 22 by when flood waters had started receding in many places, Health officials said.