Rat fever (leptospirosis) killed four people and infected 101 from January to June this year in the Galle district, Administrative Public Health Inspector in the district Palitha Wijesekara said.
He was speaking at the Galle District Agriculture Committee meeting presided over by Galle District Additional Secretary Kamal Ranasinghe last week.
He said 13 rat fever patients from Yakkalamulla, 14 from Karandeeniya, 11 from Elpitiya, 11 from Udugama, 13 from Thawalama, and one from Galle were detected during the period. The spirochaetes leptospira that carries leptospirosis normally exists in paddy fields, canals, drains, contaminated streams, wells and rivers. Farmers and those who engage in work at such locations are more vulnerable to the disease, he said.
The PHI said measures were taken to educate the public about the disease.