1 more falls victim to rat fever in Kovai

The deceased, Sathish Kumar (32), of Kondampatty in Pollachi, had moved to Tamil Nadu from Kerala a week ago. “He was staying in Kerala’s Palakkad district and was infected during the floods,” said Gayathri Krishnan, Sub Collector, Pollachi. 

Sathish visited Pollachi government hospital on August 27 after he fell terminally ill, and was thereafter, shifted to a private hospital. However, his condition worsened and he was shifted to the CMCH on September 4, where he was diagnosed with rat fever. He succumbed to the disease on Thursday night at CMCH without responding to treatment. 

Meanwhile, Gayathri advised people to avoid travelling to Kerala, which has been reeling under an outbreak of rat fever. She also advised people against taking over the counter medicine for fever. 

A few days ago, a 52-year-old woman, who had recently returned from Kerala died of rat fever at CMCH. Two more persons, one from Gudalur in the Nilgiris and another from Valparai, were undergoing treatment for rat fever in the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Health officials said that they have stocked enough medicine for rat fever. It has also advised people to avail medical attention once they have fever, headache, severe muscle pain and red eyes, all symptoms of rat fever.