Pakistanis after the recent spell of monsoon have officially turned the nursery rhyme “Rain, rain go away” into an everyday supplication. Stagnant water on roads, over flooded sewage drains and a throng of mosquitoes and flies has made the blessing of rain a curse for all of us.
While it’s important to address that we need better sewage system and our cities are crying for better infrastructure, it’s also equally important to aware the masses of the serious disease spread after the heavy rain.
So, let’s find out what diseases this monsoon has brought and how to stay away from them.
Gastroenteritis or Stomach Flu
Stomach flu often becomes prevalent after the rainy season as its spread through water-borne bacteria. The symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain. Although the disease spread has been reported in all provinces, Sindh has reported the most number of patients with gastroenteritis. From Jacobabad to Larkana to Hyderabad to Karachi, several men, women and children have been admitted to the government hospitals.
It’s also worth mentioning that stagnant water becomes a chemical hub making skin diseases and eye infections more prevalent than ever. Therefore, make sure that you are staying away from thailay ki chaat and golgappay this season and not letting your kids play in the water.
Dengue and Malaria Fever
As the temperature is constantly on the rise post rain and the environment is becoming favorable for the mosquitoes, including ‘aedus aegypti’, the mosquito that causes dengue fever to breed and increase more and more in number, dengue and malaria are on the rise.
As the outbreak of dengue and malaria was faced last year by the citizens of Rawalpindi and Islamabad as well, they need to be extra cautious in the year 2019. Therefore, to avoid the deadly dengue and malaria infection, make sure you do not leave any water stagnant in your gardens. Apart from that, drain all the buckets and do not leave the water sitting in them for days on end.
The Takeaway
After the newest spell of rain this season, diseases like dengue, malaria and stomach flu have become prevalent in Pakistan. While we need a better sewage system and infrastructure to help get rid of all such bacteria and viruses, doctors suggest that you must only use boiled water and avoid eating out.
Follow these tips and hopefully, you will be safe and sound. Take care!
Guest Credits: Dr Maleeha Syed
