Kerala's Deadly Leptospirosis Surge: Cases and Deaths Climb

Kerala is grappling with an alarming increase in leptospirosis cases and fatalities, particularly intensified by heavy rainfall. This once seasonal illness is now prevalent throughout the year, and its mortality rate has seen a significant, steep climb in the last three years.

In 2024, the state recorded 5,980 cases and 394 deaths, with the current year showing a similar trend. The disease's progression has become more aggressive, with patients developing severe complications like pulmonary hemorrhage and multi-organ failure within the first week of illness, a departure from its previous pattern of second-week complications.

Late diagnosis, often mistaken for other tropical illnesses, and the lack of round-the-clock emergency management facilities in many secondary hospitals exacerbate the situation. Public health efforts focus on integrated prevention, risk communication, and antibiotic prophylaxis for high-risk groups like construction and migrant workers, who are particularly vulnerable due to constant soil exposure.