COIMBATORE: A 13-year-old boy from Erode died of rat fever, without responding to treatment in Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on Tuesday.

P Dinesh Kumar, son of a farmer from Paruvachi village near Anthiyur in Erode, and studying class eight in Government

Middle School in Sethunampalayam, had swooned in the classroom on September 16. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Anthiyur and then to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for further treatment. It was then he was diagnosed with rat fever. Despite treatment, his condition deteriorated and died on Tuesday.

Rat fever, which is spreading in Kerala, especially Wayanad after the devastating landslides, has claimed its first life in Erode district prompting health department authorities to press into action.

A large team of health department staff have camped in Paruvachi and Kattur villages to carry out a door-to-door visit to find out if anyone else was infected by rat fever. A 34-year-old woman, who exhibited symptoms of rat fever like fever, vomiting, and dizziness has been admitted to Erode GH for treatment. More than 300 people in the villages were given supplements by the health department.