Even as two persons died of leptospirosis in Valsad district on Friday night, 15 others suspected to be suffering from the water-borne disease were admitted to New Civil Hospital in Surat in the last 24 hours.

So far, 10 persons have died of the disease in south Gujarat.

The new leptospirosis ward at the New Civil Hospital is seeing a constant stream of patients from Valsad, Navsari, Tapi and Dangs, besides from Surat district. Most of those afflicted by the monsoon disease are farm workers.

Doctors and nursing staff at primary healthcare centres and community healthcare centres in the affected districts have been given special training to deal with cases of leptospirosis.

New Civil Hospital medical superintendent Dr M K Wadhel said, "We are regularly carrying out awareness drives in different villages in south Gujarat. We have advised farm labourers to wear gloves and shoes while working in the fields and wash their hands and feet properly with clean water after coming home. Leptospirosis symptoms include fever in initial stage, which later becomes incurable. We have saved many patients who came to us in the primary stage."

ALSO READ Renowned Urdu critic Waris Alvi passes away after prolonged illness

Please read our terms of use before posting comments