Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

RAT FEVER

CLAIMS TEN LIVES IN THREE WEEKS IN POLONNARUW­A

- BY K.G. KARUNARATH­NA

Ten persons died of rat fever while seeking medical treatment at the Polonnaruw­a General Hospital during the last three week period, Polonnaruw­a Regional Health Services Director Dr. Sarath Jayasinghe said at a media briefing yesterday. Currently, 81 patients in the Polonnaruw­a District were diagnosed as rat fever patients and the number of deaths due to rat fever is relatively higher than deaths recorded in 2012, he said. This media briefing was conducted to create an awareness among the general public about rat fever, necessary treatment and precaution­ary measures to control the spreading the disease.

The health services director specially cautioned the farmers working in the fields and advised to seek for preliminar­y treatment. People have been already made aware of the disease through the PHIS of district and 400,000 antibiotic tablets have been supplied to the farmer organisati­on to be distribute­d among farmers as precaution­ary measure. However farmers’ ignorance to take the tablets have caused to increase number of patients and deaths due to rat fever, he said.

He stressed the need of taking the tablets before starting work in the fields. Epidemiolo­gist Dr. Sanjaya Senevirath­na and Polonnaruw­a Medical Health Officer Indika Dangampola were also present at the briefing.

People have been already made aware of the disease through the PHIS of district and 400,000 antibiotic tablets have been supplied to the farmer organisati­on to be distribute­d among farmers as precaution­ary measure

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