Risk of outbreak of infectious diseases in flood-hit areas

Kathmandu: Risk of outbreak of infectious diseases has increased at Bhotekoshi flood hit areas.

The health specialists have suggested adopting alert measures in view of high risk of many diseases due to contaminated water, garbage and mosquitoes. They urged to remain alert as consumption of flood water or water mixed with flood water might increase the risk of water-borne diseases including diarrhoea and cholera.

Chief Consultant Physician at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku, Kathmandu, Dr Bimal Sharma Chalise, stressed the need to keep person hygiene during disaster.

He mentioned, “Attention should be paid on personal hygiene, quality of water and food hygiene as pollution has spread from flood. There is risk of outbreak of vector-borne disease and skin infection.”

Similarly, Infectious Disease Specialist Dr Sher Bahadur Pun warned higher possibility of waterborne diseases rather than vector-borne ones in the initial period of disaster.

Dr Pun mentioned that especially children, elderly persons, pregnant and chronic disease patients should be protected from such diseases, adding various types of epidemics would take place if bodies could not be managed for long. He underlined that there is a risk of spreading different types of infectious diseases if those involved in rescue and distribution of relief materials at flood-hit areas do not pay attention in hygiene.

Out of 15 water samples collected from different holding centres of Bidur municipality in Nuwakot, E. coli was confirmed on five samples, shared Information Officer of Public Health Office, Nuwakot, Krishna Rijal.

The water sources have been treated to make safe it for consumption and there is no longer any risk, he added, suggesting all to consume water only purifying it.

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