CHENNAI: As post-cyclonic intermittent rains continue, doctors advised residents to take precautionary measures to avoid water-borne diseases like typhoid and acute diarrhoea. People must consume boiled water and well-cooked food, they added.
Hospitals are logging several cases of dengue, typhoid, leptospirosis (rat fever), and respiratory infection. “We are getting more typhoid cases. Every day, 25-30 children get admitted here, including those with dengue, diarrhoea, and respiratory infections,” said Dr Janani Sankar, deputy medical director of the Kanchi Kamakoti Child Trust Hospital.
During monsoon, people should be careful about water-borne diseases like acute diarrhoea, warned Dr C Rajendran, senior general physician, Billroth Hospital. “We continued seeing cases of acute diarrhoea, vomiting and flu, including dengue since the rain began this year. While there is no increase yet, we should take measures to prevent the spike post-cyclone,” he said.
To avoid diseases spread by mosquitoes, everyone must keep their houses and surrounding areas clean as dengue mosquitoes breed on fresh rainwater, said Dr S Chandrasekar, professor of medicine at the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, a recent Director of Public Health circular instructed all districts deputy directors of health services to ensure continuous monitoring of patients in health facilities for acute febrile illness, acute diarrheal disease, influenza-like illnesses, jaundice and acute encephalitis.
The information must be entered in the Integrated Health Information Portal to watch out for an unusual increase in the cases, said the circular. “Medical teams must be ready to carry out immediate relief measures after the cyclone and conduct the medical camps, Director of Public Health Dr TS Selvavinayagam had said recently.
Doctors’ advice
Consume boiled water, and even canned water must be boiled
Eat freshly-cooked hot food
Avoid raw food and ones from hotels
Keep the surrounding of the house clean from stagnation of water
Wash legs and footwear after walking in stagnant water
Use mosquito repellents to avoid mosquito bites
Don’t store water in uncovered pots, barrels and other vessels