The Ministry of Health's Epidemiology Division has confirmed that the recent deaths of seven patients at Jaffna Teaching Hospital were caused by Leptospirosis.

The patients, admitted over the past few days with fever and breathing difficulties, succumbed to the disease.

Dr. Thushani Dambarera, a Community Medicine Specialist from the Epidemiology Division, stated that tests conducted at the Medical Samples Institute and the Kandy National Hospital laboratory confirmed Leptospirosis in several samples.

Further investigations are ongoing to rule out the presence of influenza or other diseases, she added.