Rawalpindi:People may face serious health risks due to heavy rainfall on Tuesday in this region of the country and water inundation in a number of localities particularly in the low-lying areas of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The collection of heavily contaminated water in streets and houses and the waste water flooding out of Nullah Leh due to heavy rainfall may cause infections including cholera, typhoid, dysentery, gastroenteritis, hepatitis A and E, shigellosis and giardiasis along with increasing chances of breeding of vectors causing serious health threats.
Recent heavy rainfall in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad may increase the risk of transmission of dengue, malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, typhoid, hepatitis A/E, skin infections and respiratory illnesses due to stagnant water, mosquito breeding, contaminated water and increased humidity, said Head of Department of Infectious Diseases (DID) of Rawalpindi Medical University at Holy Family Hospital Professor Dr. Muhammad Mujeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’ on Tuesday.
He added that to avoid serious infections and ailments, individuals need to take extraordinary preventive measures well in time and must keep their living spaces clean. Residents should eliminate the accumulated water in and around houses, use mosquito repellents or nets, wear protective clothing, drink boiled or safe water, wash hands regularly, avoid floodwater and maintain food hygiene, he said.
Dr. Mujeeb advised early medical consultation for patients with persistent fever, severe headache, body aches, rash or diarrhoea. Community cleanliness, proper waste disposal and prompt removal of stagnant water are essential to prevent outbreaks, he said.
To a query, he explained that the contaminated water accumulated in streets and houses may carry Salmonella that cause illnesses such as typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever and food-borne illness. The contaminated water may cause cholera, an infection in the small intestine caused by bacterium vibrio cholerae. Its main symptoms are watery diarrhoea and vomiting that can lead to rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, and death in some cases, he said.
He added that the transmission of cholera occurs primarily by drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the faeces (waste product) of an infected person, including one with no apparent symptoms.
Shigella infection occurs through ingestion, faecal-oral contamination, and studies reveal that fewer than 100 bacterial cells can be enough to cause an infection. Shigella causes dysentery and destruction of the epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa, he said.Dr. Mujeeb said in case contaminated water is inundated in the house, one must wash the area with clean water as soon as the contaminated water is wiped out to avoid infections.
