After historic floods, proactively prevent epidemics

After historic floods, Da Nang City has entered a 'new war' to prevent the epidemic. Authorities are working hard to disinfect, sterilize, and protect public health.

Proactively prevent disease after floods

In recent days, immediately after the flood receded, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Da Nang City urgently implemented a plan to distribute chemicals, disinfect the environment and activate mobile rapid response teams to prevent and control the epidemic.

After the water receded, the Da Nang City health sector made efforts to spray disinfectant in flooded areas.

PHOTO: H.D

On November 2, the Da Nang CDC announced that it had distributed 375 kg of 25% Cloramin B and 315 liters of mosquito-killing chemicals to 16 district health centers to serve the work of environmental disinfection, especially in deeply flooded residential areas, schools, and medical facilities. Units are required to contact the CDC's Department of Pharmacy - Medical Supplies to receive chemicals in accordance with the correct standards, and to preserve, use safely and effectively.

Mobile team members carry protective gear and disinfectant spray to help people prevent disease after the flood.

PHOTO: H.D

“Proactively supplying chemicals helps localities promptly clean the environment, disinfect water sources, and minimize the risk of spreading infectious diseases after floods,” said a representative of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention of CDC Da Nang.

In order to enhance the capacity to monitor, detect early and promptly handle outbreaks, CDC Da Nang has established 5 mobile teams to quickly respond to prevent and control infectious diseases and public health events by 2025.

The teams are responsible for investigating the situation of patients and contacts, identifying the source of infection, taking samples for testing, assessing risks, and directly handling outbreaks and disinfecting the environment. At the same time, they guide lower-level units in investigating, verifying, and communicating risks, contributing to improving the response capacity of the entire city's health system.

Medical staff went to the place to propagate and guide people to prevent epidemics.

PHOTO: H.D

Immediately after being established, the mobile teams were deployed in Duy Xuyen, Dien Ban, Hoi An, Dai Loc communes... areas heavily affected by floods, synchronously implementing disease prevention after floods.

The health sector warns that after floods, the risk of outbreaks of digestive diseases (cholera, typhoid, acute diarrhea), skin diseases (Whitmore, Leptospira), mosquito-borne diseases (dengue fever) and respiratory diseases is very high.

"People need to eat cooked food and drink boiled water, maintain personal hygiene, kill mosquitoes and larvae, and proactively go to medical facilities when there are unusual signs," the representative of the CDC Da Nang leadership recommended.

After the flood, when the muddy water recedes, leaving behind a thick layer of mud, people's water sources are heavily polluted. Wells, tanks, ponds and lakes are all mixed with waste, animal carcasses and disease-causing bacteria. Many residential areas, even though the water has receded, still have a strong smell of mud and stagnant water around their houses. The water source has become a potential threat to public health.

In recent days, the Department of Construction of Da Nang has coordinated to provide clean water to people in some flooded areas in the city.

According to the Department of Construction, after the natural disaster and flood, Phu Son water supply station and Hoa Tien booster pump station were flooded, leading to water shortages in Nam Son, Le Son, Hoa Khuong, An Trach villages... in Hoa Tien commune.

Authorities provide clean water to people in La Chau village, Hoa Tien commune.

PHOTO: H.D

Specifically, from October 31 to the afternoon of November 1, Da Nang Green Park Company mobilized 6 tankers and 10 workers, in coordination with Da Nang Water Supply Joint Stock Company (Dawaco) to deploy dozens of tankers to collect clean water from several water plants to supply to people in many villages in Hoa Tien and Hoa Vang communes. Thereby, promptly meeting the minimum water usage needs for daily life of households, schools, medical facilities, etc.

While the pumping stations were operating stably on November 1, the Department of Construction continued to direct the timely water supply to some areas and residential areas. Phu Son Water Supply Station resumed production on the evening of November 1 to promptly and stably supply water to people in the communes of Hoa Tien, Hoa Vang, Ba Na...

People living along the Thu Bon River (Ha Nha commune area) are busy cleaning up mud after the water receded.

PHOTO: H.D

Troops carry out large-scale disinfection

At the same time, the 88th Chemical Brigade (Chemical Corps) mobilized 60 officers and soldiers, 7 specialized vehicles to key flooded areas to spray disinfectants, disinfect, and treat the environment in nearly 20 areas in the area.

In Dai Loc commune, Battalion 906 supported heavily flooded schools in cleaning classrooms and schoolyards.

Soldiers spray disinfectants, sterilize, and treat the environment at hospitals, schools, and residential areas.

PHOTO: H.D

In Dien Ban Ward, the specialized force of the Central Region Center for Response to Toxic Chemical, Biological, Radiation, Nuclear and Counter-Terrorism Incidents sprayed disinfectants in the entire area of ​​Quang Nam Regional General Hospital, Dien Ban Ward People's Committee, Public Administration Center, Vinh Dien Market, Nguyen Van Troi Park, schools and residential areas.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang, Chairwoman of Dien Ban Ward People's Committee, commented: "The Chemical Corps intervened promptly and professionally. In addition to public areas, the force also helped treat the environment in residential areas and entertainment areas. Disinfection and sterilization work plays a key role in preventing epidemics after prolonged floods."

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Son, Deputy Brigade Commander and Chief of Staff of Brigade 88, said the unit has disinfected hundreds of thousands of square meters at key locations, contributing to cleaning the environment and minimizing the risk of disease for people.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/sau-lu-lich-su-chu-dong-ngan-ngua-dich-benh-185251102102648958.htm