Kerala Flood Relief Camps Heighten Risk of Communicable Diseases

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The intensified monsoon and the opening of several relief camps with hundreds of people have heightened concerns over the spread of communicable diseases, particularly vector-borne infections, across the district. According to health experts, people staying in relief camps and crowded places are at higher risk, and precautionary measures should be taken at the administrative and personal levels to contain the spread of diseases. The concerns come as the state continues to report a rising number of communicable disease cases each day. Contaminated air, water, environment, and food can potentially pose a threat in such situations, according to Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, convenor of the IMA Research Cell, Kerala State. “Air can be contaminated from pathogens causing communicable diseases, for instance influenza. Coughing enables the spread of viruses or bacteria. If drinking water is contaminated with sewage; organisms including hepatitis A virus, shigella, and certain types of e. coli can cause disease outbreaks, even cholera. With hundreds of people staying in a camp, many people can quickly get ill in a short time,” he said, adding that infections can be also caused by physical contact. Stressing the significance of providing better facilities in the camps, Dr Purushothaman Kuzhikkathukandiyil, a public health expert, said that along with basic facilities and safety, proper waste management should also be ensured.