The Jaffna Teaching Hospital (TH) has urged the public to visit the Hospital or any other healthcare facility if they experience symptoms of illness, without panicking, following several deaths of confirmed and suspected leptospirosis (rat fever) patients.
In recent times, leptospirosis cases have been reported from three Medical Officer of Health Divisions in the Jaffna District: Point Pedro, Chavakachcheri, and Karavetti.
Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (16), the Director of the Hospital, Dr. T. Sathyamoorthy, said that seven deaths had been recorded at the hospital with suspected leptospirosis, of which three were confirmed through laboratory tests. He further noted that among the nine patients currently receiving treatment at the Hospital, three have tested positive for leptospirosis.
Noting that there could be increases and decreases of epidemic diseases from time to time, he said that the people should not panic as all treatment facilities are available at the hospital and other healthcare facilities in the area. "If anyone suffers symptoms, they can get admitted to our hospital or another. They will be provided with all necessary treatment."
According to the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, a total of 28 leptospirosis patients are receiving treatment at the Point Pedro Base Hospital, while 11 are being treated at the Jaffna TH. The ministry reported that two health teams conducted an investigation in the Northern Province last week regarding the leptospirosis outbreak. Nearly 12,000 cases have been reported across the country this year, with 85 cases recorded in December alone. Additionally, the Unit stated that approximately 200 deaths due to the disease have been reported so far this year.
Leptospirosis is a blood infection caused by the Leptospira bacteria, which can infect humans from rodents and various other wild and domesticated animals. Symptoms range from mild such as headaches, muscle pain, and fever, to severe, including bleeding in the lungs or meningitis. The acute and severe form of leptospirosis, known as Weil's disease, causes jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), kidney failure, and bleeding.