The Department of Health insisted that for the epidemiological weeks after Hurricane Fiona, 108 cases of the disease were reported in 38 municipalities. | Photo: EFE
San Juan, October 11 (RHC)-- The Department of Health of Puerto Rico confirmed Monday that it is investigating the death of three people from leptospirosis, a fact that is linked to the insalubrity of the affected territories after the passage of Hurricane Fiona.
"For epidemiological week 40, nine cases were received, of which two were probable and seven suspected cases. Currently, three cases of deaths are under investigation," the health report said. The institution also listed the cases under investigation: "a confirmed case in the Arecibo health region (a 76-year-old man); a probable case in the Ponce region (a 77-year-old citizen) and another suspected case in the same region, an 85-year-old man."
Meanwhile, 160 leptospirosis alerts have been taken into account in the territory according to the health institution, which refers "that these are distributed in four (4) confirmed cases, twenty (20) probable cases, eighty-four (84) suspected cases and fifty-two (52) people remain under investigation."
The Department insisted that for the epidemiological weeks after Hurricane Fiona (38, 39, and 40), 108 cases were reported in 38 municipalities in all health regions, among which the ones with the most total cases reported were Caguas and Metropolitan, with 27 cases each.
The municipalities with the highest number of total cases reported were Mayagüez (11) and San Juan (11), and the municipality with the highest number of confirmed and probable cases was Caguas, with four patients with the disease.
During 2022, 226 total cases of leptospirosis have been reported in Puerto Rico. "To date, 14 deaths have been reported. In Puerto Rico, leptospirosis is more common in men than in women, as almost three out of four cases are men. An increase in the number of cases is observed for the months of September and October, compared to the rest of the months," the health agency stated.
