Hygienic rubber socks for farmers

by Ananda Kannangara

The Health Ministry will introduce hygienic rubber socks for people who are engaged in agricultural work, especially farmers in paddy fields, to prevent them from water borne diseases such as leptospirosis (rat fever).

The Health Ministry yesterday cautioned that about 20 persons, mostly farmers from agricultural districts including Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Ampara and also some flood victims were reported with leptospirosis during the past few days.

The samples of the proposed hygienic gloves are currently being tested at the Epidemiology Unit under the supervision of the Health Department.

The Epidemiology Unit says people, who are engaged in agricultural work in water resistant lands could wear these rubber socks to stop rat-urine-mixed water seeping into wounds and scratches of their legs.

People who are working near lakes, rivers and in gem pits could also be victims of leptospirosis. In addition people who are using well water should also be vigilant as its water too could be mixed with rat urine. This could be stopped by covering wells with a mesh, so that rats cannot go inside.

Senior Health Ministry official W.M.D. Wanninayaka told the Sunday Observer that in addition to the urine of rats, the disease could also be contacted from the urine of cattle, pigs, dogs and goats.

He also said all hospitals and MOH offices have been provided with necessary medicine such as `Doxycycline' antibiotics to treat patients and also asked farmers to take two tablets of `Doxycycline ' prior one day they work in paddy fields.

He said high fever, red eyes, headache, vomiting and muscle pains are the symptoms of leptospirosis.