The disease gains strength after the floods that have affected the country after the passage of the hurricane
The Puerto Rico Department of Health reported this Monday that At least 3 people have died and 160 leptospirosis alerts have been received on the island after Hurricane Fionawhich caused severe flooding that favored the rebound in cases of this disease.
One of the deaths is confirmed, that of a 76-year-old man in the Arecibo region (north); a second – a 77-year-old man in Ponce (south) – is considered probable; and a third is classified as a suspect, corresponding to an 85-year-old man from Ponce. As for the cases, according to the latest report from the Department of Health, 4 are confirmed, 20 are probable, 84 are suspected, and 52 remain under investigation. Most of the reported cases were men (78%) and the average age is 41 years, according to data from the Weekly Leptospirosis Surveillance Report.
The head of Health, Carlos Mellado, called on citizens to do not touch water, soil or food that could be contaminated by coming into contact with urine (or other secretions) of infected animals.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease which can seriously affect the kidneys and liver and cause meningitis, shortness of breath and bleeding. The first symptoms of the disease include: fever, headache, muscle aches, red eyes, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), rash and cough.
Fiona, a category 1 hurricane, hit Puerto Rico on September 18 causing catastrophic damage, which led the federal government to declare a state of major disaster.