The deadly leptospirosis has claimed five lives in Surat’s New Civil Hospital in the past two days,taking the toll to 11.
Every year,monsoon brings fear of an outbreak among farm workers in the state. But this year,it certainly left the health officials in a tizzy. During the monsoon,farm workers run the risk of being affected by the leptospira bacteria that causes leptospirosis,a disease that can turn fatal very fast.
This year,the disease had raised its ugly head a little late,with patients starting to come in for treatment only during the last week of July. While five new suspected patients had been admitted to the hospital recently,the total number of patients who came in this season have reached 50.
The five patients who died have been identified as Rushita Kanu Patel (34),a resident of Upsal village in Vansda taluka of Navsari district,while others are identified as Babu Chaudhary (40),a resident of Ambach village in Tapi district,Sunil Chaudhary (42),a resident of Mandvi taluka in Surat district,Harsingh Chaudhary (45),of Mandvi taluka,and Hitesh Rathod (35),of Palsana taluka in Surat district.
Medical Superintendent of New Civil Hospital Dr M K Wadhel said,“We have sent our medical experts to different Primary Health Care Centres and Community Health Care Centres in Surat and the neighbouring district. They will train the paramedics there in identifying symptoms of leptospiroses and treating them. Farm labourers are mostly exposed to leptospira bacteria because they work the fields in bare hands and feet. The disease is transmitted through rat excreta,” Wadhel said.
Share
