Pacific

Futuna leptospirosis victims flown to New Caledonia

21:36 pm on 31 January 2019

Two people have been flown from the French island of Futuna to a hospital in New Caledonia after contracting leptospirosis.

The public broadcaster says they got the disease after swimming in a river.

This month, a total of six people contracted leptospirosis on Futuna which in the past year recorded three fatalities from the disease.

Leptospirosis spreads through the urine of infected animals and people are being advised to wear boots around animals if there are muddy conditions.