Floods have the potential to exact a major impact on the health of human populations, and for a given flood event, the range of possible health outcomes is broad. These outcomes can result directly from health risks associated with the presence of floodwater or indirectly via the impact of floods on shelter, livelihoods, infrastructure and health systems.
Floods can potentially increase the transmission of the water-borne diseases such as gastrointestinal diseases, dermatitis, conjunctivitis, leptospirosis and vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. Gastrointestinal diseases such as cholera and diarrheal illness are the most common flood-related diseases because it can easily spread through contact with contaminated surfaces or contracted by drinking water or eating food contaminated with the bacteria Vibrio cholera, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and some waterborne parasites such as giardia, cyclospora, and cryptosporidium.
Such breakdowns in sanitation systems and contamination of drinking water evoke fears of water-borne diseases. Unhealthy bacteria may be present in residents' water if the public water supply has lost power or if a private well has been flooded. The water in the home may be unsafe for drinking, cooking, or washing. Many water lines run parallel to roads. If floodwater recedes too quickly, it can erode the ground under the roads, causing the roads to collapse and in turn break the water lines. This may contaminate public drinking water supplies and disrupt service.
The general symptoms include fever, stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Rapid loss of body fluids can lead to dehydration and shock, and without treatment, death can occur within hours. Common treatment is replacement of lost fluids and electrolytes using oral rehydration solution.
Other flood related diseases which are not mentioned in the article are yellow fever, West Nile Fever, Hepatitis A, allergies, asthma and infection from helminths. There may also be an increased risk of respiratory tract infections such as cough, bronchitis, sore throat or flu-like illness due to exposure to flood waters and rain. Hypothermia may also be a problem, particularly in children, if trapped in floodwater for lengthy periods. Mold and fungi can grow in these materials to numbers that can present a health risk after being wet for only 48 hours. Persons at highest risk are asthmatics, people with allergies, infants and children, elderly, pregnant women, people with existing respiratory diseases, and people with compromised immune systems. Spraying with a household disinfectant for fungi and mold will not remove the organisms and can exacerbate breathing problems.
The effective ways to curb one of the disease especially water-borne disease include ensuring water quality, food safety, sanitation and hygiene, precautions during clean-up activities after flooding and immunization when appropriate. The residents’ public must use clean drinking water which can be purified by boiling or treating with chlorine. Beside that, all clothing, children’s toys and anything that have been in contact with contaminated floodwater should be washed and disinfected.
Nazmiah binti Yahaya
G74478
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