Leptospirosis claims 50 in Gujarat

Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease which causes a severe debilitating illness, has claimed two more lives at the Surat civil hospital since Friday morning, taking the toll in Gujarat to 50 since its outbreak recently.

Authorities said that three more patients suspected to be suffering from leptospirosis, or Weil's disease, had been admitted to the hospital on Friday. With this, the total number of patients undergoing treatment in the district for the disease has risen to 46.

Of the 50 reported dead, 34 had died in Bulsar district while the rest died in Surat district.

Although no deaths were reported from Bulsar since Friday morning, 11 fresh cases of suspected leptospirosis were admitted to the Bulsar civil hospital by medical survey teams. Authorities said 235 people have been affected by the disease in the district.

The symptoms of the disease, usually passed through the urine of rodents, includes headaches, muscle ache, fever. Leptospirosis affects the liver and kidney, sometimes leading to jaundice; at others, calling for dialysis.

The medical survey teams have covered eight talukas with a population totalling 900,000. People have been advised to take precautionary measures to control the disease.