Preventing and controlling epidemics after floods

Clean up as the water recedes

Due to the influence of storm circulation No. 4, in the areaNghe AnFrom September 17 to 23 there will be heavy rain, very heavy rain in some places.Heavy raincaused widespread flooding, killing 3 people, leaving 1 missing, and injuring 1 person; causinglandslide, causing traffic jams and damaging many houses... At this time, the floods have temporarily stopped, but the risk of disease after the floods will appear.

In Con Cuong district, the total rainfall was 457mm. Information from the District Health Center: Floods caused localized flooding in some communes such as Mon Son, Luc Da, Thach Ngan, Mau Duc, Con Cuong town... Floodwaters flooded 25 houses; infiltrated the wells of more than 40 households in the area, most of which were in Yen Khe commune.

To prevent epidemics and diseases that may occur after floods, Con Cuong Medical Center has been directing medical stations to step up propaganda work to the people; advising local Party committees and authorities to carry out general environmental sanitation, clear canals, sewers, and treat water wells.

Doctor Vi Thi Huong - Director of Con Cuong District Medical Center said: The Center has fully distributed chemicals to the affected areas; carried out disinfection spraying according to the principle of cleaning as the water recedes. Medical staff were sent down to guide people in treating water sources by washing with alum, disinfecting with chloramine B; and monitoring the risk of epidemics, especially dengue fever.

In Anh Son district, floods are also causing epidemic risks here. Dinh Son commune has long been a hotbed of dengue fever. Floods are favorable conditions for Aedes mosquitoes - the vector of the disease - to grow and multiply. The Center has issued an official dispatch requesting communes to direct all departments, organizations, and households to clean up the environment, destroy mosquito larvae, turn upside down waste containing water, especially flower pots containing water, and encourage people to use mosquito nets even during the day.

Doctor Dao Van Binh - Deputy Director of Anh Son District Medical Center said: The District Medical Center is coordinating with Nghe An Center for Disease Control to monitor mosquito larvae after storms and floods to have further measures; continue to direct and guide medical stations to implement disease prevention and control activities, ensuring food safety during and after rain and floods.

In Hung Nguyen district, heavy rains and floods caused flooding in 2 hamlets of Chau Nhan commune, 2 hamlets of Hung Loi commune and 1 hamlet in the area outside the dike of Xuan Lam commune. After the water receded, people in these hamlets proactively implemented environmental sanitation and disease prevention measures according to the instructions of health agencies. Localities in the district actively directed and guided people to clear bushes, collect garbage, spray pesticides, drain stagnant water and especially clean up barns for buffalo, cows, pigs and chickens.

Doctor Ho Thanh Lam - Deputy Director of Hung Nguyen District Medical Center shared: To proactively prevent epidemics caused by floods, Hung Nguyen district has had a specific plan to implement since the beginning of the year. Thoroughly implementing the 4 on-site motto, ensuring a sufficient amount of medicine to prevent epidemics at medical stations. Propaganda work on diseases during the rainy season such as pink eye, flu, dermatitis... has been deployed before. At this time, disease prevention, control and surveillance activities are being closely implemented.

Do not be subjective with the risk of disease

After the flood, Nghe An has not had any epidemics. However, that does not mean that all levels of government, especially medical units at the grassroots and district levels, are allowed to be complacent.

Dr. Chu Trong Trang, Director of the Center for Disease Control of Nghe An province, stated: Localized flooding in many localities will create favorable conditions for vector-borne diseases such as flies, mosquitoes, larvae, etc. to thrive. Mosquitoes are the most common vectors of malaria and dengue fever.

Flooding also leads to a lack of clean water for daily use, affecting people's living environment. Water sources contaminated by floods and polluted living environments increase the risk of outbreaks of diseases such as: Digestive diseases (diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, etc.); skin diseases (foot rot, dermatitis, folliculitis, etc.); eye diseases (pink eye, trachoma).

To effectively prevent and control epidemics, all levels, sectors, and local authorities, especially provincial and district health units, need to step up information and propaganda to all people about risk factors. District health centers need to prepare forces, means, equipment, tools, supplies, and necessary chemicals to promptly respond to epidemic situations according to the motto "four on-site" and "three ready" (proactive prevention; timely response; urgent response).

Disease prevention and control must be given top priority. Preventive and treatment medical work must be closely coordinated, promptly detecting and diagnosing infectious diseases causing epidemics in flood-affected areas. It is necessary to implement solutions to strengthen food hygiene and safety inspections, closely monitor food poisoning; and encourage people to eat cooked food and drink boiled water.

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For households with flooded wells, it is necessary to treat and clarify the water by using alum at a dose of 1g of alum (a piece about half the size of a finger joint) for 20 liters of water. Scoop a ladle of water, dissolve the amount of alum equivalent to the volume of water that needs to be clarified, put it in a jar, pot, jar, tray or water tank and stir well, wait about 30 minutes for the sediment to settle to the bottom, then decant the clear water. If there is no alum, use a clean cloth to filter the water, keeping the dirt, do this several times until the water is clear. After clarifying, it is necessary to disinfect with chemicals, specifically disinfect with Cloramin B or Aquatabs. One 0.25g Cloramin B tablet can disinfect 25 liters of water and one 0.67g Aquatabs tablet can disinfect 20 liters of clear water.

Dr. Chu Trong Trang

Director of Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control

To prevent epidemics, people need to pay attention to the treatment of feces and garbage. Environmental treatment follows the principle that as the water recedes, families clean their houses and mobilize the community to clean the environment; it is necessary to clear sewers, fill in stagnant water, bury dead animals and disinfect... When detecting a disease, do not self-treat at home but go immediately to medical facilities for timely examination, examination and treatment to avoid spreading the disease to the community./.