The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday called on civilians cleaning up after Typhoon Matmo, especially those in flooded areas, to wear surgical masks and gloves to protect themselves from viruses and microorganisms, and urged residents to empty water from containers for fear of dengue fever outbreaks.
Muddy water, rusted containers and loose soil may contain leftover microorganisms causing Leptospirosis, melioidosis or tetanus, the centers said, adding that it could also cause cellulitis and septicemia.
Civilians should wear rain boots and waterproof gloves when cleaning up fallen signs, glass, leaves and branches, the centers said, to prevent injury.
The centers also said drinking water may be contaminated, and suggested boiling or chlorinating water, and washing water containers and the interior of the house with the solution.
If water reservoirs have been contaminated with muddy water, the same solution should also be applied before water storage, the centers said.
The center warned against consuming foods that had been either touched by the water or left defrosted for long periods.
The centers said it would be in close contact with local government health bureaus and would help civilians decontaminate their surroundings, adding that they would also conduct cleaning and implement preventive measures in areas that are on the centers’ database for mosquito warnings after heavy rain.
The centers called on doctors to keep in close contact with the health bureaus and for civilians to go to their local hospitals immediately if they experience headaches, other aches, stomach pains, diarrhea, become jaundiced or feel lethargic after cleaning up their surroundings.
Meanwhile, the CDC has also released warnings about dengue fever, saying that the nation had recently seen its second case of dengue hemorrhagic fever.
The 72-year-old victim, a resident in Greater Kaohsiung’s Siaogang District (小港), ran a fever and experienced headaches, joint pain and lethargy, the centers said.
He was diagnosed with dengue hemorrhagic fever after being hospitalized and had since recovered, the centers said, adding that a family member with whom the patient was living has not displayed any symptoms of contracting the fever.
The CDC said it had confirmed 323 cases of patients with dengue fever up until Monday, including 99 cases of which had arrived with a separate strain of the virus from abroad, and 224 cases which had been infected by local strains.
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