Cherthalaresident dies of rat fever

ALAPPUZHA: One more death, suspected to be caused by rat fever, was reported in the Alappuzha district on Thursday.  The victim, Kunjumon, 40, died a day after he was admitted to Cherthala Government Hospital on Wednesday. The Cherthala resident, who was suffering from joint pain and jaundice, was immediately referred to the Kottayam Medical College, after his case became serious.  “After the patient was suspected of having rat fever, he was immediately referred to the Kottayam Medical College, but the patient reported at that hospital only after a day. The  delay caused the death,” Alappuzha DMO Sainabhudeen K M said.But the death, he said, has still not been confirmed as rat fever.    Alappuzha district had at least three confirmed deaths of rat fever reported in the past three months. The last confirmed death was reported in the first week of September.The district, which had reported at least 130 cases of rat fever in the last year, has come down tremendously this year, with only 48 cases being reported till now.