Doctors warn against waterborne diseases

Ignore health precautions and the cheer of monsoons may actually leave a bad taste in your mouth, warn doctors. Data shows that with each passing day, the number of patients suffering from water-borne diseases has been steadily rising.

Ignore health precautions and the cheer of monsoons may actually leave a bad taste in your mouth, warn doctors. Data shows that with each passing day, the number of patients suffering from water-borne diseases has been steadily rising.



However, doctors feel that the situation can be easily avoided if residents observe personal hygiene and avoid eating out in this season.

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Dr Ashutosh Shukla, senior consultant at Artemis Health Institute, said, “More and more patients are complaining of stomach infections, food poisoning and viral hepatitis. There is nearly 50% increase in the number of cases over the last two months. The first and foremost reason behind this trend is dirty water in several areas of the city. Moreover, residents are also fond of eating out which actually gives birth to these problems.”

Dr Sushila Kataria, senior consultant at Medanta - The Medicity, feels that boiling water is still the best way to deal with this season.

“The only way to avoid infection is to drink ‘safe’ water. Poor sanitation is also leading to such problems in some areas. Residents should approach the administration to get a bacterial culture done.” Dr Gulshan Arora, a senior medical officer, said, “Over the past few days, patients suffering from various water-borne diseases have started pouring in. This is the optimal weather for bacteria and viruses to breed.”