Precaution called against seasonal illnesses

 Kathmandu, June 7: Monsoon is considered an epidemic season in Nepal, as the season is responsible for the outbreak of a number of infectious diseases.

During the monsoon, harmful bacteria spread and can breed in the rainwater that accumulates in bushes, discarded utensils including cups, bottles, tyres and plastic bags causing serious problem in public health, warned health experts. 

According to Dr. Janak Koirala, an infectious disease specialist at Patan Hospital, water and insect-borne diseases are more prevalent in monsoon. 

With the outbreak of monsoon season, the country is more vulnerable to infectious diseases, thus it is important that the government take necessary steps to deal with the possible risks, say health experts. “The ailments like seasonal influenza, viral fever, diarrheal disease, dengue and scrub typhus, malaria will increase,” said Dr. Koirala. 

Similarly, contagious diseases like smallpox, measles and cold are transmitted from the air and typhoid, hepatitis A and E, diarrhoea, cholera and other contagious diseases are transmitted through contaminated water, said Dr. Koirala. Apart from that snake bite cases will also increase during this season, added Dr. Koirala.

The cases of diarrhoea, snake bite and scrub typhus have already started to spike at our hospital, said Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Kathmandu. 

Many people suffering from diarrhoeal disease are found to take over-the-counter medicines and only those who become serious come to hospital for treatment, said Dr. Pun. 

The concerned authorities need to increase surveillance, issue high alert and vigilance to contain possible outbreaks, said health experts. 

Water-borne diseases like diarrhea have the highest morbidity and mortality rates among the communicable diseases in Nepal.

According to the Nepal Burden of Disease-2017, diarrheal diseases are responsible for 5.6 per cent of total deaths in Nepal. “We need to take extra precautionary measures to prevent such epidemics,” said Kedar Baral, a virologist and added that it is the responsibility of the public to maintain their good hygiene and be aware of diseases.

Diarrhea is caused by the contaminated food and water, said Dr. Baral and asked all to avoid stale, rotten and fried food, dirty water and dirty hand-made food. Dr. Baral, suggested to eat home-cooked food and consider how clean the food and how pure the water is, when you prefer eating outside home. 

“In this season, flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers and insects are more active, water freezes everywhere and food melts quickly. Therefore, hygienic food and good lifestyle should be followed to keep any type of infectious disease at bay,” said Dr. Baral. 

He also asked people to wear long sleeve clothes to protect oneself from insect and mosquito bites. 

Dr. Chuman Lal Das, director at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division under the Ministry of Health and Population said that Rapid Response Team has been activated and  orientation has been provided to the team to deal with the possible monsoon outbreak. 

The local and provincial governments are asked to manage sufficient medicines, launching campaigns to make people aware of the risks and ensuring the presence of health workers at the health facilities, said Dr. Das.  

“To deal with possible risks, we have been conducting resource mapping. We have also alerted all the agencies to start preparations accordingly.” The EDCD has already organised an orientation and training programme to sensitise health workers of the provincial and local levels, he added.