[ Source : RCR ]

There are currently 36 confirmed cases of leptospirosis in Kadavu, with 40% of patients being children under the age of 18 and 17% are under the age of nine.

The Ministry of Healthy says a response team assisting Sub-Divisional Medical Officer Kadavu and her team has for the past two weeks conducted awareness campaigns on rat control in twenty communities affected by leptospirosis.

Additionally, 870 rat baits have been distributed to households to help control the population on the island.

The Ministry stresses rat control is also vital for preventing the spread of leptospirosis.

Villagers have been told to seal entry points to prevent rats from entering buildings, keeping food in tightly sealed containers, repairing leaky pipes, and using traps or poisons to remove existing rat populations.

Symptoms of leptospirosis in children include a high fever, headache, joint pain, red eyes, rashes, sore throat, vomiting, and bleeding. If left untreated, the disease can lead to serious complications such as kidney damage, liver damage, and bleeding in the lungs.