Rat fever claims life in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 July 2008, 02:27 GMT]
A person from Kathiravea’li in Batticaloa district admitted to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital with rat fever (leptospirosis) died Sunday. Three others in Batticaloa district are being treated for this bacterial disease and the risk of it spreading among others is imminent, S. Thedchanamoorthy, Infectious Disease Specialist in Batticaloa said.

The victim was identified as Thambimuthu Kethees, 37, a resident of Kathiravea’li.

The risk of this disease spreading in areas flooded with contaminated water has escalated, and steps are being taken to control it, Thedchanamoorthy said.

Walking barefoot in contaminated floodwater causes leptospirosis.

The bacteria enter through small abrasions and thrive in the body. The disease commonly affects the poorer sections of society in the slums, and even minor flooding can cause high level of incidence of this disease.