Puerto Rico toll up amid disease fear

THE DEATH TOLL has climbed to 45 in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, where more than 100 people are still missing three weeks after the storm rained destruction on the island, authorities said Wednesday.

Most of the hard-hit U.S territory remained without power, even with 19,000 federal civilian and military personnel pitching in to clean up and make repairs.

Only 16% of Puerto Rico’s residents have electricity, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.

Desperate residents are still without water after Hurricane Maria hit Sept. 20. Many have turned, dangerously, to local streams and other bodies of water.

Gov. Ricardo Rossello said 10 people have come down with suspected cases of leptospirosis — a disease spread by drinking water contaminated by animal urine.

Leptospirosis can be common in tropical locations, particularly after heavy rainfall. Symptoms include high fever, headache, vomiting, jaundice and red eyes, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Federal officials also warned residents not to break into wells at hazardous waste “superfund” sites, where water is contaminated by industrial waste.