Common diseases during and after flood season
Specialist Doctor 1 Doan Thi Lieu, Department of Examination, Gia An 115 Hospital (HCMC), said that during flood season and immediately after floodwaters recede, the environment is often polluted, daily activities and food preservation are extremely difficult, from that reality, many groups of diseases are also easily broken out.
- Gastrointestinal diseases such as acute diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever... are caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites that develop in contaminated water and food.
- Dermatological disease: Caused by prolonged exposure to dirty water or muddy soil.
- Respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infections, flu… are at high risk in humid, cold weather and cramped, damp living conditions.
- Diseases caused by mosquitoes and insects such as dengue fever and malaria, because stagnant water is a favorable environment for mosquitoes to breed.
- Soft tissue infections and trauma: Often caused by falls, injuries while moving in floodwater, or contact with sharp, damaged objects.
Go to a medical facility immediately if any unusual signs appear.
Illustration: AI
Diseases caused by long-term exposure to dirty water
Prolonged exposure to floodwater or mud can make skin and scratches susceptible to infection. Initially, people may experience mild conditions such as impetigo, folliculitis, and boils. If not treated promptly, the wounds can become more severely inflamed, even leading to subcutaneous abscesses or spreading to the entire soft tissue, causing pain, swelling, and danger if left untreated.
In addition, constantly wet skin also creates conditions for skin fungi to grow, such as ringworm, tinea versicolor, athlete's foot, or fungus in scratches, causing itchy, red, flaky skin. Some parasitic diseases can also penetrate through bare skin or open wounds, causing prolonged itching or swelling.
Other skin diseases can flare up or get worse when exposed to dirty water, including irritant dermatitis, chronic eczema that is easily infected, or nail fungus, skin fungus in people with weak resistance. Some serious cases require immediate hospitalization, for example, red, swollen wounds, lots of pus, severe pain or high fever, because if left for a long time, it will cause dangerous systemic complications.
Those at highest risk are children, the elderly, people with open wounds, people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, liver... Therefore, you should limit direct contact with dirty water, wear closed shoes, wear protective clothing, wash and disinfect open wounds and go to a medical facility immediately when unusual signs appear.
How to prevent disease?
According to Dr. Doan Thi Lieu, flood season is the time when water is highly polluted, food and water sources are easily contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, leading to digestive diseases such as acute diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, etc. To prevent this, people need to pay special attention to hygiene and food safety.
First, make sure your drinking water is safe: Use water that has been boiled, filtered, or treated with disinfectant tablets. Wash your hands frequently with soap, especially before eating, after using the toilet, or after coming into contact with mud or floodwater.
Regarding food, it is best to eat cooked food, avoid raw food or food sold outdoors. Other food should be kept sealed, avoid leaving it outdoors for long periods of time, especially in hot and humid conditions. Vegetables should be washed with safe water, if possible, soaked in disinfectant solution or boiled.
In addition, direct contact with flood water and mud should be limited, especially for children. If contact is necessary, wear boots and gloves and clean the body immediately after contact. Finally, if symptoms such as repeated diarrhea, vomiting, fever or dehydration appear, go to a medical facility immediately for timely treatment to avoid dangerous complications.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhom-benh-thuong-gap-khi-nuoc-lu-rut-18525112919364698.htm
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