Leptospirosis cases reach 26 this year, more likely

As the number of leptospirosis cases in the city reached 26 this year, BMC officials are yet to device a strategy to control the rat menace in the city. With rat killers turning their back to BMC’s allegedly underpaid job that provides no safety measures whatsoever, medical experts are hinting that the spread of leptorpirosis cases can increase during the monsoon season.

The leptospirosis bacteria spreads through the urine and excreta of animals and due to the rain it can easily contaminate water.

The disease is characterised by high fever, headache, bleeding, muscle pain, chills, red eyes and vomiting. Without treatment, it can lead to kidney and liver damage and even death. As rats are considered as one of the largest contributors of the bacteria, keeping their count under check has been one of the important duties of the BMC pesticides department.

Dr Mini Khetarpal from the epidemiology cell of BMC said that so far they have reported 26 cases of lepto this year. “In June alone, we have reported around six cases of leptospirosis in the city. The epidemiology cell has issued warnings to people to avoid stagnant water and keep a check on the symptoms to not let the disease reach a severe stage,” said Dr Khetarpal.

On the other hand, BMC’s call for bids to hire rat killers, received a very poor response as around 50 per cent of the wards did not receive any bidders yet. Contractors from Mahim vicinity confirmed that they have been ignoring the BMC bids as they wages they offer are very less and there are no safety measures provided by the officials. The rat killers hired by the department are paid around Rs 300 per night for killing about 100-200 rats, depending on the locality and severity of the situation.

Commenting about the matter, one of the contractors said, “The wages are deducted completely if the number of rats killed per night is even slightly less.” He further added, “The rat killers are not even provided with proper gloves or masks to protect themselves from the poisonous content that they use to kill the rats. Most of the rat killers mix the rat poison with bare hands.” Officials, meanwhile, confirmed that they have received only 24 applications for their advertisement for hiring the rat killers. Sources confirmed that they are now trying to change the conditions of the contract to attract more bidders.