Northern Kerala rattled by rat fever

KOZHIKODE: The northern parts of the state are shivering under the grip of rat fever (leptospirosis) and the government has activated all the departments concerned to counter the spread of the epidemic.Health Minister Adoor Prakash on Thursday directed all District Collectors to ensure coordination of various departments, including health, local self-governing bodies, water resources, education and social welfare, in conducting sanitation drives to contain the epidemic.He was speaking at an  emergency meeting convened at the District Collectorate in Kozhikode. The meeting decided to open fever clinics in affected areas with the cooperation of Indian Medical Association and set up fever wards in government as well as private hospitals in the state and to conduct medical camps.Stressing the need for revitalising ward- level sanitation committees, the minister asked the ward members and councillors to ensure utilisation of funds from National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and effective functioning of such committees for proper waste management.In view of the greater risk involved in taking self-medication, the meeting also decided to launch a massive awareness campaign involving ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers.The meeting decided to conduct a week-long sanitation drive in the state from September 25 involving various voluntary organisations.A total of 126 confirmed cases of leptospirosis and 14 deaths have been reported from the northern districts —  Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod — from January till September this year. The number of suspected cases of leptospirosis and deaths during the same period are 562 and 97, respectively.According to Director of Health Services P K Jameela, there has been an increase in the number of cases during the last three weeks.  “As per statistics, leptospirosis cases are most reported during September, October and November. This year also, the situation appears quite similar. Through effective sanitation drives and awareness campaigns, we can prevent deaths in the coming months,’’ Jameela said.Kozhikode district tops the list in the number of suspected cases and suspected deaths with 256 and 43, respectively. In Malappuram, a total of 103 suspected cases and 15 suspected deaths were reported from January till this month.