Srinagar: In the wake of recent floods across Jammu and Kashmir, health experts have sounded an alarm over the heightened risk of water-borne diseases and urged people to strictly follow safety measures regarding food and water use.
Doctors said floodwater contamination can lead to outbreaks of diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis A and E. The foremost priority, they stressed, is ensuring access to safe drinking water.
Boil water for at least 10 minutes or use chlorine tablets or unscented household bleach for disinfection,” advised Dr Khalid Parvez, CMO Anantnag. He added that muddy water should be filtered through a clean cloth before boiling and stored in covered containers to avoid recontamination.
Health experts further cautioned that food items exposed to floodwater are unsafe and must be discarded. Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly with safe water, and all cooking utensils must be cleaned before use. People were also reminded to wash hands with soap before preparing or eating food.
Officials noted that open wells and surface water sources are at high risk of contamination. Submerged wells, they said, must not be used until they are cleaned, disinfected, and tested.
Doctors urged people to watch for symptoms of water-borne diseases—such as diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, or jaundice—and seek immediate medical care. “ORS should be given in cases of diarrhoea to prevent dehydration. Clean and safe water can save lives,” they stressed.
Medical experts concluded that strict adherence to hygiene and water safety guidelines is critical to preventing a secondary crisis of avoidable diseases in flood-hit areas.—(KNO)
