Georgetown: Freezing water does not automatically make it safe for consumption, according to Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Shamdeo Persaud, who pointed to the importance of persons taking greater precaution with their drinking water supply in light of the increasing rainfall. Recent rainfalls have led to inundation in some sections of the country. Flood waters, the senior health official said, can often lead to contamination of potable water, a state of affairs which often causes persons to embrace the belief that freezing their water supply could service to make it safe for consumption.
“We know that many of the pathogen or organisms can survive in ice and as soon as that ice thaws and go into warm body temperatures those organisms can become active again and can cause diseases…” It is for this reason the Ministry of Health has been appealing to the public to not only pay close attention to their sources of drinking water but also to their hand washing and even teeth brushing activities which would be much safer with the use of treated water. “We know that the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) has been working towards providing a good quality of water to all residents along the coast and to many other residents but we are advising of the need for people to adhere to additional precautions…” Dr. Persaud noted.
He pointed to the need to develop the public’s ability to guard against gastroenteritis and diarrheal diseases, a risk which could increase with the consumption of unsafe water and foods that have been contaminated by flood waters or any other source of contamination. “If diarrhoea does occur we are asking that persons take a lot of fluids such as safe water and other beverages that are recommended including Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS).”
Dr. Persaud pointed to the notion that diarrhoea can be fatal especially if dehydration is a part of the process and “we are encouraging persons, particularly young children, the elderly and sick people, to seek medical attention…as a matter of fact anyone with diarrhoea should report to the nearest health facility and seek treatment.”
Contact with flood waters, the Chief Medical Officer noted, has been listed as one of the risk factors identified in the outbreak of leptospirosis. He explained that this could occur when people walk in the flood waters and they do not use any protection, a situation which could result in them being subjected to cuts, bruises and scratches which could facilitate the entry of the leptospirosis organisms into the body. “Although through the oral route is seen as the main entry, entry through wounds can lead to this fatal disease so we are asking parents, guardians and elders to keep children out of flood waters…It is not a swimming pool and while people will have to go into the water we are advising that they wear whole shoes or long boots,” Dr. Persaud asserted.
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