MONSOONS HAVE ARRIVED! STAY SAFE!

Monsoon showers are fun but keep yourself protected from illnesses

Key precautions advised by Fortis Healthcare

New Delhi, July 13, 2017: Each year, we all look forward to this season- the Monsoon, which brings with it relief from the summer heat.  But the monsoon also brings with it, a range of infections and diseases. The warm, wet and humid weather is a breeding ground for mosquito-related illnesses, water-borne infections and viral infections. They are at their peak.  During  this season all of us especially, children and the elderly can be affected and need to take precautions at this time of the year.

Dr. D. S. Chadha Director, Department of Internal Medicine, Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi highlights key symptoms and suggests some necessary precautions to be taken during the monsoons:

MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES

Malaria kills thousands of people every monsoon. It is carried by the female anopheles mosquito.

o   Symptoms:

–          High fever with chills

–          Body ache and sweating

–          Diarrhoea, jaundice in some cases

Dengue fever is transmitted by Aedes mosquito.

o   Symptoms:

–          High fever within two to seven days of the bite

–           Rashes on the body along with severe muscle and joint pains

–          Pain behind the eyes with severe headache

–          Loss of appetite

–          Bleeding gums or bleeding from any other site

Precautions against malaria and dengue:

–          Wear full-sleeved clothes when leaving the house

–          Apply mosquito repellent  creams over uncovered areas of body

–          Use insecticide-treated mosquito nets at night/mosquito repellent mats or coils

–        Avoid accumulation of water in and around your house or work place

–        Keep your surroundings clean

WATER-BORNE DISEASES

Cholera is usually spread through food and water contaminated by human faeces.

o   Symptoms:

–          Severe diarrhoea and effortless vomiting

–          Rapid weight loss and muscle cramps due to dehydration

–          Low blood pressure

–          Dry mucous membranes

–          Loss of skin elasticity

 Typhoid Fever is caused by the ingestion of food or water contaminated by the bacteria Salmonella typhi & S. Paratyphi

o   Symptoms:

–          Poor appetite and lethargy

–          Fever, as high as 104 degrees F or more

–           Abdominal pain

–          Diarrhoea and/or vomiting

–          Headache

–          Generalised pains and aches

Hepatitis A (Jaundice) spreads through contaminated food, water or close contact with the infected person’s excreta.

• Symptoms:

–        Fever

–          Fatigue

–          Nausea

–          Appetite Loss

–          yellowing of skin or the eyes

–          Dark amber-coloured urine

–          Clay coloured faeces

Precautions for Typhoid/Hepatitis

–          Avoid food or water from unhygienic places

–          Wash hands with soap and water before eating

–          Store food/water in covered containers to protect it from flies

–          Use clan (filtered/RO) water for drinking

VIRAL INFECTIONS

Flu:

o   Symptoms:

–          Fatigue and body ache, fever

–          Running nose or nasal congestion

–          Diarrhoea

–          Cough or sore throat

–          Burning sensation in eyes and skin rashes

Eye infection:

o   Symptoms:

–          Gritty feeling in the eyes

–           Swollen eyelids

–          Irritation and Itching

–          Discharge from one or both eyes

–          Blood clots around the cornea

o   Precautions:

–          Take plenty of liquids

–          Keep yourself clean and detect early signs of disease

–          Avoid contact with infected person

–          Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly