Acting Chief of the Epidemiology Unit, Dr. Paba Palihawadena said yesterday that these were the number of reported cases from over 16 hospitals in several parts of the island- mainly Gampaha, Kegalle and Matale.

Leptospirosis is also known as canicola fever, mud fever, swamp fever, swineherd’s disease, caver’s flu or sewer man’s flu. It is a bacterial infection resulting from exposure to the Leptospyra interrogans bacterium.

Leptospyrosis is also known as Weil’s disease (better known as rat flu). It is one of the most common zoonotic infections in the world which has developed from the rodent family. However, Leptospyrosis can be cured provided the medication is taken on time, Palihawadena said. It is mainly treated with antibiotics.

The Unit’s chief said they were planning to carry out a pilot project in two geographically chosen MOH areas with the hope of controlling the disease carriers.

"Rodenticides will be used in these areas to bring the weil population under control. The present rains are playing havoc with our plans. Water may get contaminated if rodenticides are used during the rains. Therefore we will have to wait till the rains cease and there is dry weather to commence the program," she said.

Dr. Palihawadena said she was unable to give an exact date in which the program will commence - everything depended on the weather conditions. She cautioned people who were involved in paddy cultivation, irrigation, mining and sewage work to be very careful especially if they had cuts and scrapes.