Tirunelveli: At least eight students at a private engineering college in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district have been diagnosed with leptospirosis, commonly known as rat fever. The affected students are currently receiving medical treatment at a nearby hospital. The district health department conducted an inspection of the college hostel premises and discovered that the illness may have been caused by the use of contaminated water.
In response to the outbreak, the college administration has been instructed to close the institution temporarily until comprehensive sanitation measures are implemented.
The alarm was raised when a student from the Uvari area was hospitalized in Nagercoil with a persistent fever. Medical tests confirmed a diagnosis of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection typically spread through water or soil contaminated by the urine of infected animals. This case triggered an immediate investigation by the Tirunelveli district health department.
Rat Fever Alert at Tirunelveli College, Campus Closed for Sanitization
Following this discovery, health officials conducted a medical camp at the college, which is located in the Melathidiyur area near Gopalasamudram and serves students from Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Virudhunagar districts. The screening revealed seven additional cases, bringing the total to eight infected students. All affected individuals are currently receiving hospital treatment.
During an inspection of the college premises, health department officials identified several serious hygiene violations. The investigation revealed that the college had been using water from a nearby floodwater stream for both drinking and cooking purposes. Additionally, inspectors found rotten vegetables and an unclean flour mill in the college kitchen. These conditions are believed to have contributed to the spread of the disease.
In response to these findings, health authorities have temporarily cancelled the college canteen’s operating certificate. The college has been ordered to remain closed until further notice, with students instructed not to return to campus. Health officials have announced plans to conduct health camps on October 11 and 12 to monitor the situation and provide necessary medical support, while assuring the public that there is no need for panic.