Blog by Dr Deepshikha Ganjoo
Beginning in the month of July 2018, the South Indian state of Kerala was affected by severe floods.
This was the worst in over a century Kerala has seen. Displacing millions of people, leaving hundreds dead or missing.
Multiple factors like low pressure area creation , heavy rains, large discharge from dams are being held responsible for such a severe calamity. The floods have raised multiple concerns in the state, from providing clean water, to safe shelter, food etc.
Another fresh concern is the spread of diseases such as ‘Leptospirosis’ commonly known as Rat Fever. This disease is caused by a bacterium called as Leptospira. The sign and symptoms of the disease range from
*Yellowing of skin and eyes
The most common carriers of this disease are the rodents, dogs, cattle and rabbits and it is transmitted by animal urine, by water or soil.
So with the current scenario where the entire state was flooded, the disease has spread like an epidemic and requires an effective strategy for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the same