By IANS
Ahmedabad : An outbreak of leptospirosis in three districts of south Gujarat has claimed 34 lives in the last two weeks, sources said here Saturday.
The disease has affected many in the Surat, Valsad and Navsari districts of the state. At least 32 patients were admitted at Surat civil hospital’s leptospirosis ward from the three districts on Wednesday and Thursday.
When contacted by IANS, Amarjeet Singh, state’s health commissioner, confirmed the outbreak. “We have alerted the district health authorities and the situation is under control,” he said.
Singh said the disease generally occurs post-monsoon. Medics at the preventive and social medicine department of Surat civil hospital also said the situation was under control.
There have been around 167 cases of leptospirosis this year, compared to 549 cases recorded last year after heavy floods in the region.
A team from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, New Delhi, visited the hospital to take stock of the situation.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial illness that can affect many parts of the body. People get leptospirosis by contact with fresh water, damp soil or vegetation contaminated by the urine of infected animals.