The Health Care and Nutritional Ministry yesterday said nearly 200 Sri Lankans have died due to leptospirosis, commonly known as rat fever during the past few months and warned the public especially the farmer community who are victimised by this fever to seek medical treatment only from Government hospitals.
Senior medical specialist, Dr. Paba Palihawadana said that over 6,400 persons infected with rat fever have been reported from various parts in the country during the past six months. She said nearly 83 per cent males in the country are victims of rat fever.
She said all hospitals, including state owned health care centres, especially in rural hospitals have been provided with adequate injections and other medicines to treat patients who come almost every day.
It is reported that the rat fever epidemic during the past ten years has claimed about 1,100 lives in the country. Rat fever is an infectious disease caused by pathogenic bacteria and live not only in the kidneys of rats but also in the kidneys of pigs, cattle and wild mammals.