GENEV
A, (AFP) -
World economic growth could slow to 1-1.5 percent in 2009, about half of the projected 2.9 percent growth for 2008, the UN trade and development body's chief economist said on Thursday.
In its latest annual report, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) assessed that in mid-2008, the global economy was already “teetering on the brink of recession”, impacted by financial markets turmoil, commodity price hikes and huge exchange-rate swings.
Leptospirosis, widely known as rat fever, is raising its vicious head again with 117 deaths being reported up to August this year while only 34 deaths from the entire country were reported last year, Health Ministry Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Prabha Palihawadana said.
She said some 3,700 Leptospirosis infected patients were reported up to August this year while only 2,600 patients were reported last year it.
Dr. Palihawadana said the Unit would take immediate measures to prevent the spread of this deadly disease, and that the Prophylaxis antibiotic tablets were dispatched to health officers and hospitals in the affected areas.
She said most of the cases had been reported from paddy farming districts but there appears to be a significant number of new cases being reported from Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara in the Western Province, Matale and Kandy in the Central Province, Matara in the Southern Province and Kegalle in the Sabaragamuwa Province. “The danger is that the cause of the disease is not only water contaminated by rat urine but also from water contaminated by the urine of infected cattle, goats, dogs and cats,” Dr.Palihawadana stressed.