Team Herald
PANJIM: Ahead of the monsoons, the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has cautioned citizens with regards to the increasing susceptibility to diseases like viral flu and water-borne and food-borne infections.
In a press statement issued on Friday, the department has said that during rains, people are prone to Influenza (viral flu), water-borne and food-borne infections such as Typhoid, Diarrhoea, Cholera, Viral Hepatitis etc.
Symptoms of Influenza include fever, cough, sore throat, body ache, headache, breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, fall in blood pressure, sputum mixed with blood, bluish discoloration of nails, irritability among small children, refusal to accept feed and worsening of underlying chronic conditions.
Common symptoms of water-borne and food-borne infections are Fever, Nausea, Vomiting, loose motions, jaundice, abdominal pain and fatigue. All the cases with above mentioned symptoms should immediately report to the nearest health centre or physician.
DHS has also informed that influenza water-borne and food-borne infections are easily preventable and urged the general public to take preventive measures regarding hygiene, prevention of food etc. As such it has said that good personal hygiene is the most important preventive measure.
In its set of directions, DHS has asked citizens to wash their hands before handling food, during food preparation and while eating. They have asked citizens to sanitise all surfaces and equipment used for food preparation and to protect the kitchen areas and food from insects, pests. They have also asked that citizens maintain cleanliness in surrounding and do no throw their garbage out in the open.
It has also issued various instructions on handling of raw and cooked food and also on the preservation of food items and use of boil water for consumption.
