"Rat fever" has killed at least 12 people with another 54 suspected fatal cases in the southern Indian state of Kerala since August, after the worst floods in almost a century, authorities said Tuesday.

A total of 372 people have been infected with the disease, known properly as leptospirosis and transmitted in water, soil or food containing urine from rodents and other animals.

The bacteria can enter the body through cuts or abrasions on the skin, or through the mouth, nose and eyes, according to the World Health Organization. Person-to-person transmission is rare.

Early symptoms of leptospirosis such as high fever, muscle ache, vomiting, red eyes and chills are similar to those of other diseases, making it difficult for health workers to diagnose.

Other disease outbreaks including dengue fever following last month's floods -- which killed almost 500 people and forced more than a million from their homes -- have left 28 dead.

More than 50,000 people have acute diarrhoea, authorities said. Cases of malaria and chicken pox have also been reported.

"We had anticipated leptospirosis due to contaminated water and are taking all measures to distribute preventive drugs in camps," Kerala health director Sarita R L told AFP.

The floodwaters have now largely receded and fewer than 10,000 people remain in temporary camps, down from 1.4 million at the height of the crisis.

The monsoon, which lasts from June to September, causes widespread death and destruction across South Asia each year.

The death toll in India this year currently stands at around 1,400 across 10 states, and heavy rainfall is forecast across several areas in the coming days.

In the north-eastern state of Nagaland, 11 people have died and 50,000 others are stranded across some 530 villages, with roads including the national highway into the state cut.

Nagaland's chief minister Neiphiu Rio took to Twitter to appeal for donations, posting photos of widespread damage and saying that 10 relief camps had been opened.

In the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand around 270 people have perished.

Earlier this year Kerala was also the epicentre of an outbreak of the Nipah virus, spread mainly by bats, which claimed 13 lives.

Related Links
Epidemics on Earth - Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

China culls 38,000 pigs as swine fever spreads
Beijing (AFP) Sept 2, 2018
More than 38,000 pigs have been culled across China, state media said Sunday, as the world's largest pork producer scrambles to contain an outbreak of African swine fever. The disease has been discovered in five Chinese provinces, the official Xinhua news service reported, quoting statistics from the country's ministry of agriculture. China reported its first case of the disease in August in northeast Liaoning province. Since then the disease has moved south, with cases discovered as far as ... read more