The outbreaks of gastrointestinal and waterborne diseases are seasonally found during hot and dry seasons and caused by contaminations from unhygienically prepared food and drinks.
Dr. Chawin Sirinak, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Bangkok, revealed that Bangkok is concerned about public health, especially in the summer when there are often outbreaks of gastrointestinal and waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, dysentery, food poisoning, cholera, typhoid fever or typhus, heatstroke, as well as diseases that affect pets such as rabies. It is suggested that proper hygiene practices during the summer are to be taken.
The hot and dry summer seasons are suitable for the growth of pathogens, which poses risks of outbreaks of gastrointestinal and waterborne diseases caused by eating contaminated food or drinking water. The initial symptoms are frequently abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. In severely dehydrated cases, loss of consciousness and death may occur. Therefore, people should be careful and take care of the cleanliness of food and water by choosing to eat freshly cooked food and beverages including ice that must be certified for quality by FDA. You also should wash your hands thoroughly before preparing, cooking, eating, or after going to the toilet.
Heatstroke is found at this time too, caused by the body getting too much heat higher than 40 degrees Celsius, which leads to many symptoms such as fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, and no sweating. You can get very thirsty, and find that your body heats up, reflect rapid breathing, and show low blood pressure. Without timely care, it can lead to unconsciousness and death, which can be prevented by drinking at least 6-8 glasses of water a day, wearing light-colored, airy, and well-ventilated clothing, wearing sunglasses, using an umbrella, avoiding being in the sun and drinking alcohol. Regular exercise, in addition, is recommended.
Some diseases that affect pets in the summer are rabies transmitted by pets infected with rabies biting, scratching, or licking wounds of other ones. The most important carrier animals are dogs, cats, monkeys, gibbons, squirrels, and chipmunks. Once infected, the animals will suffer from symptoms that will appear within 15-60 days. Some may encounter them in less than 10 days or even up to a year in which all rabies patients usually will die in the end. For safety reasons, pets should be vaccinated against rabies annually. Be careful not to let your child interact with unvaccinated pets. When bitten by a dog or a mammal, you should immediately wash the wound with soap and water, put a disinfectant, and rush to the doctor to get vaccinated against rabies. In addition, the bitten animal should be confined for at least 10 days in order for symptom observation whether the animal has rabies or not. If an animal dies during quarantine, notify a veterinarian or a public health official for further examination.
On top of the seasonal illness concerns, the current COVID-19 pandemic still persists. Therefore, a high safeguard against all risks of infections is still highly important, especially for those who are looking forward to the Songkran celebration. Wash hands, eat hot food, and use a central spoon to pick food from the shared dishes should be strictly practiced. Also, try to enjoy the festival in not too crowded areas.