The Ministry for Health says that boarding schools reporting cases of leptospirosis is something that happens all the time.

Permanent Secretary for Health Dr James Fong made this comment after he was questioned about six boys from a prominent school in Tailevu being rushed to hospital for leptospirosis.

It is understood that four children are admitted to the hospital for leptospirosis while two are recovering from the disease at home.

In an interview after launching the invention prevention and control guideline, Dr Fong said they're susceptible to getting leptospirosis as they play in wet and muddy conditions.

“It's something that happens all the time, every year in and year out. Children in boarding school are just the same as any children in any village,” he said.

“They are susceptible to getting leptospirosis as they play in wet and muddy conditions. They have been targeted in the past with education programs to help them mitigate issues.

“I guess it's difficult because you're talking about young physically fit individuals and their risk assessment of what they do is not optimal as a person like me who lives through so much.

“So I think, we just have to be except that there will be a certain level of risk-taking behaviour that we will have to expect amongst the young population,” he said.

He said the ministry will need to keep targeting the young population with their awareness programmes to see if they can get wise.

Attempts to get a comment from the Minister for Education Premila Kumar remained futile when this issue went to the press.

By Nacanieli Tuilevuka