Mangaluru :District health officer (DHO) Dr M Ramakrishna Rao has advised people to be careful with the food and water they are consuming. Due to flooding, open wells and borewells could be polluted.

Drinking polluted water can cause diseases, and this season could see people get infected with dysentery, typhoid, jaundice and leptospirosis. He asked people to keep their homes and surroundings clean, and ensure that water doesn’t stagnate.

Dr Ramakrishna Rao told reporters, “With festivals round the corner, people must ensure proper disposal of waste such as paper cups, bottles, tyres and clean overhead tanks. During the recent mosquito larvae source reduction drive, to check the spread of dengue, more than 50,000 houses were covered. On an average, 10-12 per cent houses had places where there was larvae, and at some places it was about 20 per cent,” he said.

“About 2.7 lakh containers, including water storage units, paper cups and bottles were found with larvae in them. Many people were not aware that the plates kept under flower pots were places where mosquitoes could breed,” said the DHO.

The DHO requested the people to drink filtered and boiled water.

“It is important to boil water for 20 minutes. In case wells are affected due to floods, the water should be used only after its samples are tested. In case water is found to be not fit for consumption, chlorination must be done. Well water should be used only after it is certified safe for drinking,” he said.

He advised the public not to buy fruits from vendors that are cut open, and vegetables too should be washed with warm water before use.

“Food consumed should be hot, and pipe compost can be used for biodegradable waste. Extra care should be taken in case people are suffering from dysentery. The season may register H1N1 cases too. Last year between October and December, nearly 107 cases were reported. In case of any kind of fever, people should take sufficient rest. Hotels have been advised to serve customers only boiled water, and ensure that cleanliness is maintained,” the DHO said.

“This year about 813 dengue cases have been reported, and so far two deaths have been confirmed by the district. There has been a reduction in the number of suspected dengue cases. On an average, about 60 suspected cases of dengue are reported per day,” he added.