Health Department officials on Saturday said the death toll due to leptospirosis in the district following the devastating floods in August had risen to four, with one more death being confirmed on Saturday. Two other deaths are suspected to have been caused by the infection.
Andy, 60, from Meppayil near Vadakara, died on Friday. Seventeen suspected cases and 26 confirmed cases were reported on the day.
The confirmed cases are from Kannippara, Poovattuparamba, Unnikulam, Kakkodi, Arakkinar, Kommeri, Chevayoor, Pantheerankave, Cheruvadi, Malapparamba, Puthur, Kadalundi, Vavadu, Chaliyam, Muthukad, Nadakkave, Kallayi, Cheruvannur, Chemanchery, Odumbra, and Farook. As many as 17 persons are under observation.
Fourteen people have died with leptospirosis symptoms in the district since August 8.
According to data provided by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, only three leptospirosis deaths were reported in the district between January and July. Meanwhile, Ministers, elected representatives, and officials took Doxycycline tablets at an awareness event on Saturday. Ministers T.P. Ramakrishnan and A.K. Saseendran, Mayor Thottathil Raveendran, M.K. Muneer, A. Pradeep Kumar, V.K.C. Mammad Koya, MLAs, and District Collector U.V. Jose were among those who consumed the tablets.
The event was organised along with an adalat to compile data on those who had lost their documents in the floods.
Doctors, health workers, and nurses distributed the tablets among participants.