CHANDIGARH HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADVISORY FOR PREVENTION OF WATER/FOOD BORNE DISEASES
Due to incessant rains the chances of contamination of water sources have increased manifold.
Public is hereby advised to follow the following instructions: -
Safe drinking water: Use water from a safe source. In case of any suspected contamination use boiled water/ filtered/ packaged water.
Storage containers: Drinking water containers must be thoroughly washed every day. Do not add clean and fresh water to stale or unwashed containers, as there is grave risk of water contamination while doing so.
Personal Hygiene & Hand washing: - Wash hands with soap and water before eating food and after using the washroom. The contact period between the soap and water should be 15-20 seconds. Keep finger nails short and neat at all times. This is an important component of personal hygiene in preventing food & water borne disease.
Sanitation: - Avoid open defecation and urination in order to prevent contamination of water sources.
Raw Food Materials: - Raw food materials such as fresh vegetables & fruits must be washed and cleaned thoroughly before cooking/consuming. Do not eat any cut, raw, exposed food stuff sold under unhygienic condition by rehris, stalls, dhabas.
Consume warm and home cooked food, while avoiding street foods. Always keep stored foods/ beverages covered.
Make sure that the pipes and tanks that supply water to your house are properly maintained and clean Must ensure that the water used for chabeels etc. is from a hygienic source.
Must not consume ice-creams/kulfis/banta drinks etc. from a local vendor prepared from an unknown/unhygienic source of water. Travellers should only drink bottled water from safe sources (ISI and FSSAI). Avoid raw and uncooked food items.
People suffering from water borne diseases should not go to work until fully recovered to avoid spreading.
Key measures to treat diarrhoea include the following: Rehydration with oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution (Mixture of clean water, salt and sugar).
Zinc supplements
Nutrient-rich foods including breast milk during an episode in an infant.
Consulting a doctor, in particular for management of persistent diarrhoea or when there is blood in stool or if there are signs of dehydration like dry mouth, lips & eyes and tongue, sunken eyes, decreased urination etc. Rehydration is required with intravenous fluids in case of severe dehydration or shock.
Also, consult a doctor for fever with or without diarrhea and/or jaundice.
