Prepare for the Rainy Season – DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) advised the public to prepare this early against the onset of illnesses associated with the coming rainy season this June.

The common diseases during the rainy season include diarrhea, water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera, leptospirosis, and vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue.

Diarrhea is an increase in the frequency of loose or liquid bowel movements usually caused by a variety of bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms.

Typhoid fever is an infectious disease commonly spread through contaminated food and water or through close contact with someone who is infected.

Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by food or water contaminated with the bacteria known as Vibrio cholera. The bacteria cause watery diarrhea that can lead to severe dehydration and death.

Diarrhea, typhoid fever, and cholera are all food- and water-borne diseases. These can be prevented by drinking water only from safe sources. Or if unsure, to boil water for 3 minutes or do water chlorination. Cook food well and always have it covered to prevent contamination from flies and other insects. Always wash hands before preparing or handling food and after using the toilet.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection transmitted by many animals, such as rodents and other vermin. Waste products (such as urine and feces) of an infected animal, especially rats, contaminate the soil, water, and vegetation, especially during floods. Authorities advise to avoid swimming or wading in potentially contaminated flood waters, and maintain cleanliness in the house to ensure control of rodents or rats.

Dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever are acute viral infections that are caused by the bite of the dengue-carrying mosquito. Dengue can be avoided by practicing the 4-S against the disease which stands for search and destroy, self-protection measures, seek early consultation, and say yes to fogging when there is an impending outbreak or hotspot.

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans. It can be prevented by using long lasting insecticidal mosquito nets, especially during nighttime, and by following the advice of health workers on how to take anti-malaria drugs.

“It is best to arm ourselves with weapons against these diseases even before the onset of the rainy season by building a strong resistance against these illnesses and practicing personal hygiene and environmental sanitation,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque concluded. (DOH)