Hyderabad: The office of the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, Government of Telangana, has issued a general health advisory in view of the heavy rainfall forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Hyderabad.
As per the advisory, the rainfall may lead to a decline in temperature and an increase in humidity, creating a breeding ground for various viral infections as well as mosquito, food, and water-borne diseases.
Advisory to fight Malaria, Dengue, and Chikungunya
The following steps need to be taken to fight against malaria, dengue, and chikungunya:
- Secure doors and windows with mosquito nets/screens. Promptly close any holes in the net and keep windows and doors shut during the breeding time of mosquitoes (early morning and evening).
- Cover beds and cribs with mosquito nets, preferably insecticide-treated. The net should have 156 holes per square inch and should be tucked around the bed.
- Ensure children wear light-colored clothes that cover their arms and legs.
- Apply mosquito repellent like creams/lotions/roll-on sticks/body sprays before going outdoors and during dawn and dusk. Do not apply repellent on hands, mouth, eyes, or any cuts/bruises, and refrain from use if you are allergic.
- Use chemical mosquito repellents like liquid vaporizers, mats, coils, pest control fumes, and sprays with caution, as they may have adverse effects on health. Keep them out of children’s reach.
- Maintain drains to prevent water stagnation.
- Cover septic tanks with a mesh to prevent mosquito breeding.
- Observe a “Friday dry day” every week to get rid of stagnant water around your house, in discarded flower pots, cans, tires, buckets, coolers, ditches, and drains. Trim lawns as short as possible.
Advisory to prevent infections in view of IMD Hyderabad rainfall forecast
To prevent water-borne infections such as acute gastroenteritis, jaundice, and typhoid, the following advisories are issued:
- Drink and carry filtered/boiled water from home, or bottled water when outside.
- Wash hands frequently, especially before and after meals, and after visiting the washroom.
- Use and carry hand sanitizers.
- Avoid eating outside, especially raw, pre-cut, and uncovered food sold in the open like chaat, salads, fruits, and juices.
- Eat freshly made home-cooked food and discard leftovers as much as possible.
To prevent airborne infections such as viral fever, conjunctivitis, and influenza in view of IMD Hyderabad’s rainfall forecast, the following advisories were issued:
- Avoid shaking hands, sharing food, water, and clothes with someone who is sick, or when you are sick yourself.
- Wash hands frequently and use hand sanitizers often to avoid being infected.
- Minimize contamination of hands; avoid touching door handles, tabletops, lift buttons, stair banisters, and railings in public places.
- Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough to avoid infecting people around you.
- Use disposable tissues if you have a cough or cold and discard them immediately after use.
- If any person develops flu-like symptoms (i.e., cough with fever, headache, sore throat, and associated body pains) or conjunctivitis, please reach the nearest government health facilities.
- During a health emergency, please call 108 Ambulance Services.
The advisory also mentioned, “As part of precautionary measures, the Government has made elaborate arrangements by providing special beds, IV fluids, and essential medicines at all public health facilities, and ORS sachets are made available with ANMs/ASHAs/Anganwadi workers to meet any exigencies.”
