Communicable diseases including leptospirosis, an infection also known as rat fever and caused by direct contact with body fluids of infected animals, seem to be scourging flood-ravaged Kerala despite the precautions taken by the State Health Department.
With eight more persons including two who had participated in flood relief operations dying with symptoms of rat fever on Monday, the death toll in the disease outbreak in the past eight days has risen to 42, though confirmation is yet to come in many of the cases. As many as 59 people have died of leptospirosis in the State since August 1, as per to unofficial estimates.
Obvious symptoms of leptospirosis were found in about 700 of the nearly 1,000 persons who had approached hospitals and infection was confirmed in over 370 patients since August 1, as per reports. Kozhikode is the worst-hit district with 19 succumbing to suspected rat fever since August 26. About 200 people were undergoing treatment in the district currently.
However, official estimates put the number of people who died with rat fever symptoms in the State since August 15 at 37, and nine of these were said to be confirmed cases of leptospirosis. While 523 persons had sought medical assistance with symptoms of rat fever in the past 34 days, the disease was confirmed in 196 cases, as per official estimates.
State Health Minister KK Shailaja, who presided over an urgent meeting of Health Department officials in Kozhikode on Monday, said the coming three weeks would be considered as a period for keeping high alert in the context of the spread of leptospirosis close on the heels of the deluge that had ravaged the State between August 8 and 20.
Shailaja asked Health officials to intensify disease-prevention works considering the possibility of the incidence of dengue, cholera and jaundice in the aftermath of the deluge. She said the Health Department was prescribing only allopathic medicines for rat fever and asked the people to be cautious about false campaigns against the scientific treatment methods.
The Minister said that examinations had shown that some of those who had died of suspected leptospirosis had not taken preventive medicines. “There is need of caution but there is no need to panic. Medicines have been supplied to hospitals in required quantity. We have also started leptospirosis corners in hospitals and health centres,” she said.
Though presence of leptospirosis has been observed in almost all flood-affected areas, Health Department officials said there was no need to panic as the State had the capacity to cope with the situation. “Nobody should attempt self-medication with drugs like paracetamol when symptoms are seen,” said a Health official.
Among the eight persons who died on Monday with rat fever symptoms were two flood-relief workers – NT Anilkumar (54) of Eranjikkal, Kozhikode and Ranju (30) of Ayiroor in Pathanamthitta district – while a 48-year-old woman volunteer, Kumari of Chamakkala near Perumbavoor, 45 KM east of Kochi, had died of suspected infection on Sunday.
Anilkumar, Congress Mandalam secretary in Elathur, had actively taken part in the rescue and relief operations after several divisions of the Kozhikode Corporation were flooded. His death has caused anxiety in the Eranjikkal area. However, confirmation on the actual cause of his death was yet to come though he had shown the symptoms of rat fever.
Ranju, who died of leptospirosis on Monday, had been active in the relief works in the flood-hit areas of Ayiroor. His relatives complained that he had not been provided with timely medical assistance. Kumari, who died on Sunday, had participated in the post-flood cleaning works along with other women at Koovappadi, Nedumbassery and other places in Ernakulam district.