Stagnant water, even in a small vessel at home, can breed mosquitoes and can cause malaria. Eating the so-called healthy raw salads at parties and functions can land you in hospital with food poisoning, not to mention the highly unhygienic non-vegetarian street food usually prepared from dead chicken and stale eggs. However, simple preventive steps can go a long way in preventing diseases during the monsoon.
The rainy season is often marked by vector, viral and water borne diseases. Health experts emphasise prevention and suggest simple ways to avoid monsoon epidemics. Epidemic Cell additional director Dr Geeta Prasadini said, “Everyone should observe a ‘dry day’ in a week. For example if Friday is the ‘dry day,’ they should ensure that all vessels, pots and coolers in the house are clean and free from stagnant water. Water stagnating in vessels is a potential cause of malaria as it offers an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. Since coolers aren’t used much during the monsoon, they should be cleaned and kept dry. The use of mosquito nets is essential to be on the safe side.”
Adding a word of caution she said, “People should not take antibiotics for simple colds and coughs but should drink something warm and inhale steam instead. Unnecessary use of antibiotics cause resistance and complicate ailments. Above all, hands should be thoroughly washed before and after meals and if one has cold, one should always cover the mouth while coughing to avoid spreading the infection,” added Dr Geeta.
Stressing the importance of hygiene and keeping the home and surroundings free from stagnant water to prevent diseases, Dr S. Vijay Mohan, consultant general physician, Care Hospital, said, “Since, food poisoning and other water-borne diseases like gastroenteritis, jaundice, typhoid and cholera are quite common in this season, everybody, especially students can keep away these ailments if they strictly avoid street food.”
“Non-vegetarian food made by roadside eateries contain dead chicken and stale eggs. People should avoid uncooked food and salads at parties as they are never washed properly and are handled with bare hands,” said the doctor.