By P. Vijian
CHENNAI (NNN-Bernama) -- At least 600 suspected cases of "rat fever" were reported in Kerala with close to 100 deaths this year as post-monsoon diseases threaten the state.
Health authorities are on high alert, mainly in northern Kerala, to tackle the outbreak of rat fever (leptospirosis), normally transmitted by rat urine or infected animals.
"It is a zoonotic disease, usually spread by animals like rats and people become victims. Suspected cases of rat fever have increased because of the long, two-to-three month monsoon, we had here.
"So far we have confirmed five deaths due to rat fever in Kozhikode," Dr P.K. Mohanan, Kozhikode district medical officer told Bernama.
According to Mohanan, patients suffer from multiple symptoms such as high fever, internal bleeding, liver damage and muscle pain, similar to dengue or cholera, which makes it difficult to isolate the disease.
Officials said most of the patients, aged above 40 years, were sanitation and waste disposal services workers, who were easily exposed to the bacteria.
The state is also grappling with the cases of cholera and typhoid -- all prevalent as a result of the rainy season. -- NNN-BERNAMA
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