Stinking
water 'poses little threat'; Disease fatalities are minimal so far
Despite filthy stagnant floodwater spreading
in many provinces, the government yesterday tried to play down fears of a
public health crisis, citing the "success" in avoiding outbreak of
fatal communicable diseases like leptospirosis and cholera.
Disease Control Department (DCD) director
general Porntep Siriwanarangsun yesterday assured the public that although
incidences of communicable diseases were detected during the ongoing flood
crisis, they did not pose a serious threat.
Of more than 2.1 million Thais seriously
affected by floods, fewer than 100,000 are staying at government shelters. That
means at least 2 million people have been making do on their own, taking care
of their own foods, drinks as well as hygiene. Many have had to live with no
electricity and clean water has been scarce. Garbage has been accumulating, but
it is not the only reason why floodwaters in many areas have become almost
unbearably smelly.
Concerns have grown about the government's
ability to cope with an exploding health emergency, as the Flood Relief
Operations Centre is structured primarily for water management and immediate
rescue operations. FROC's reach has proved very limited in rescue activities,
let alone dealing with a health crisis at a time when a large number of people
could be exposed to diseases, hospital personnel have been stretched or
affected by floods themselves, and transport proven difficult.
The government, however, expressed confident
that the situation is still under control. "We have been monitoring the
situation. Some cases are detected but the diseases are not spreading among a
big group of people," Porntep pointed out.
Public fear about health risks during the ongoing
floods has increased lately after international agencies such as World Health
Organisation (WHO) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) have voiced concerns.
Matthew Cochrane, communications and advocacy
manager, SouthEast Asia at IFRC, was quoted by CNN a few days ago as warning of
diseases such as diarrhoea, dengue fever and malaria in the coming days and
weeks in floodhit areas.
"There are places on the outskirts of
Bangkok and in other parts of the country which have been flooded for nearly
two weeks," he was quoted as speaking.
Pornthep yesterday said to date, common
diseases found among the flood victims at 160 evacuation centres were just mere
cold, diarrhoea, and conjunctivitis.
"No dysentery. No typhoid," he said.
He disclosed that one case of cholera was
detected in Bangkok's Prawet district but diseasecontrol measures were already
put in place there.
"We are confident that there will be no
outbreak of cholera in Bangkok," he said.
Asked if a large number of people would catch
cholera if some cholerainfected human faeces were dropped into floodwater,
Pornthep said, "If you don't directly contact the infected stuff or put it
into your mouth, there's no significant risk. But to play safe, please eat only
fullycooked and safe food".
On leptospirosis, Pornthep said some cases
were detected in Nakhon Sawan and Kamphaeng Phet with two deaths reported.
"However, their deaths are not related to
flooding," he said, "They caught the disease after they went back to
their farms. Floodwater has already subsided".
Leptospirosis is a dangerous disease. Infected
people may succumb within seven days if they do not receive proper treatment.
Pornthep said available statistics from
floodhit foreign countries showed about one per cent of floodvictim population
would come down with leptospirosis.
He, therefore, believed that Thailand would
see more than 10,000 people catching the disease because flooding has already
directly affected about one million people in the country. He also believed
most patients would be the residents of Bangkok and its adjacent provinces.
Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused
by a type of bacteria called a spirochete.
Leptospirosis can be transmitted by many
animals such as rats. It is transmitted though contact with infected soil or
water. The soil or water is contaminated with the waste products of an infected
animal. People contract the disease by either ingesting contaminated food or
water or by broken skin and mucous membrane (eyes, nose, sinuses, mouth)
contact with the contaminated water or soil.
"Rats won't run around when floodwater is
high. But once floodwater subsides, people must quickly dispose of garbage or
else rats will show up and spread the disease," Pornthep said.
Currently, runoff water from the upper part of
the country is crashing down on Bangkok and its adjacent provinces. A large
number of city residents have now lived in their seriouslyflooded homes.
Asked about infected waste at hosiptals,
Pornthep said hospitals were already instructed about how to safely dispose
such waste in flood time.
"The risk of contracting serious diseases
from infected waste is almost nil," he said.
Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr
Paijit Warachit said DCD had received Bt7 million for the urgent mission of
controlling the communicable diseases during the flood.
Pollution Control Department deputy director
general Worasat Apaipong estimated that flood victims would accumulate about
1.45 million tonnes of garbage during floods for the authorities to tackle once
floodwater subsided.
"There will be damaged furniture items
and electric appliances to tackle," he said.
Chularat Saengpassa
Duangkamon Sajirawattanakul
The Nation
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