The Ministry of Health has reported four new deaths due to leptospirosis and one death due to typhoid.

Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor James Fong says poor health-seeking behaviour was a significant factor that contributed to these deaths.

There are now 27 deaths from leptospirosis this year.

He says late last month Rakiraki Subdivision had reported a total of 35 admissions of LTDD cases of which 13 cases were severe enough to warrant transfer to the Lautoka Hospital.

Dr. Fong says the Fiji Emergency Medical Assistance Team was deployed to look after the hospital while the sub-divisional teams carried out outreach duties.

In the first five days, they had seen a total of 730 outpatients, of which 71 were suspected leptospirosis, two were suspected typhoid, and 110 were acute respiratory infections. Six cases had to be retrieved with moderate illness.

The Permanent Secretary is reminding people that early treatment can decrease the severity and duration of the disease.