The victim, Gandhimathi, 52, wife of Subramani, a farmer from Samathuvapuram near Avinashi, died of rat fever at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on Tuesday.

“She might have contracted rat fever during her recent trip to Kerala. She was also suffering from hypertension, diabetes and hepatic encephalopathy (decline in brain function as a result of severe liver disease). She also had jaundice for the past six months,” said S Jayanthi, Deputy Director of health services, Tirupur.

The DD said that the department had initiated control measures and there is nothing to panic. Gandhimathi was suffering from high fever over the last one week and was admitted in a private hospital in Coimbatore and then to shifted to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for further treatment. Yet she died of complications.

Health Department officials also screened people for rat fever by putting up camps in Samathuvapuram, the village of the deceased woman. “No other case of rat fever was detected in the village. Efforts have been taken to improve sanitation in the neighbourhood to prevent its spread,” she added.

Meanwhile, another person has been admitted to CMCH with suspected rat fever. “The person had tested positive for rat fever in a private hospital. We have sent blood samples for confirmation. The person is already suffering from renal, liver failures and other issues but has no travel history,” CMCH dean B Asokan said.