Leptospirosis claims 12 lives in flood-ravaged Kerala

Six people have died in the past three days, reports said.

Since August, 372 cases have been confirmed and 54 people are suspected to have died due to the waterborne disease in the flood-hit state, reported NDTV.

Leptospirosis is an infection caused by corkscrew-shaped bacteria called Leptospira.

Signs and symptoms can range from none to mild such as headaches, muscle pains, and fevers; to severe with bleeding from the lungs or meningitis.

If the infection causes the person to turn yellow, he might have kidney failure and bleeding 

If it also causes bleeding into the lungs which is known as severe pulmonary hemorrhage syndrome.

It is transmitted by both wild and domestic animals.

The most common animals that spread the disease are rodents.

It is often transmitted by animal urine or by water or soil containing animal urine coming into contact with breaks in the skin, eyes, mouth, or nose. 

  "So if left untreated, it can lead to kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, respiratory distress, and even death," a doctor in the state told NDTV.

Health Minister KK Shailaja earlier urged people not to panic on the issue.

Kerala has witnessed one of the worst floods in the recent times which even claimed over 400 lives.