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French Polynesia records jump in leptospirosis cases
Helen Hofman
Last Updated: 21 hours 55 minutes ago
Health authorities in French Polynesia have reported an increase in the number of people affected by leptospirosis.
The bacterial disease is transmitted through water contaminated by infected animal fluids and can affect both animals and humans.
Weeks of heavy rain in the French territory have created the ideal conditions for the transmission of the disease.
Initially it presents as flu-like symptoms, but can result in meningitis, liver damage, renal failure and even death.
Dr Jean Marc Segalin, from the territory's Health Authority, says an unusually high number of cases have been reported in the past few weeks..
"Essentially we found 48 cases, and we usually have only 100 a year. We should take those 48 cases and calculate this rate for the year and we could have about 200 cases for one year."
Helen Hofman
Last Updated: 21 hours 55 minutes ago
Health authorities in French Polynesia have reported an increase in the number of people affected by leptospirosis.
The bacterial disease is transmitted through water contaminated by infected animal fluids and can affect both animals and humans.
Weeks of heavy rain in the French territory have created the ideal conditions for the transmission of the disease.
Initially it presents as flu-like symptoms, but can result in meningitis, liver damage, renal failure and even death.
Dr Jean Marc Segalin, from the territory's Health Authority, says an unusually high number of cases have been reported in the past few weeks..
"Essentially we found 48 cases, and we usually have only 100 a year. We should take those 48 cases and calculate this rate for the year and we could have about 200 cases for one year."
