Flood victim dies of leptospirosis

One man has been confirmed dead from leptospirosis.

Samir Khan, 37, of New Street, Caroni, died on Tuesday at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, ten days after being admitted to the hospital.

Khan was affected by the flooding in many parts of the country last month.

Leptospirosis is caused by a bacterium carried by animals and found in soil and water.

His cousin Abdur Mohammed said at first Khan did not want to go to the hospital because he thought he had food poisoning.

“He had stomach pains, diarrhoea, vomiting, all the symptoms of food poisoning. It was when he couldn’t urinate for three days that he decided that he would go, on November 10. His kidneys had already begun to fail,” he said.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram yesterday confirmed the cause of death.

“I was told about it just after lunch, but I do not have all the details yet.” Parasram said there were three other confirmed cases of leptospirosis, but no report of any other deaths from the illness.