KARACHI, July 15: After recent heavy rains and flash floods in Sindh and Balochistan, increasing cases of gastroenteritis being reported at health care units are taking the shape of an epidemic. Thousands of patients with symptoms of gastroenteritis have already been treated or receiving treatment in the rain affected areas, including Karachi, while many more are contracting the disease mainly after consuming contaminated water.

Contamination of potable water is being blamed on damaged pipelines, besides the sewage that has accumulated in lanes and streets since the rainfall.

Health experts have constantly been expressing concern over the situation, advising people to take all preventive measures. The best prevention they suggest is keeping hands clean for which it is necessary for everyone to wash hands with safe water frequently to avoid germs making their way into the body. The other equally important basic principle of health and hygiene is consuming boiled water, they say. The experts lay stress on washing hands with soap after using lavatory and before touching eatables. Gastroenteritis, also called stomach flu, is an inflammation of the lining of the intestines caused by a virus, bacteria or parasite. Viral gastroenteritis is an infection caused by a variety of viruses that cause vomiting or diarrhea.

The most common problem faced by gastroenteritis patients is dehydration and it arises when the patients does not take water or some other liquid in an adequate quantity lost due to vomiting and loose motions. Dehydration weakens the patient’s immune system and sometimes proves fatal.

Patients of viral gastroenteritis mostly recover without any long-term treatment. Gastroenteritis, however, becomes a serious illness when the patient is unable to drink liquids in adequate quantity during treatment. Infants, young children and the disabled or elderly are more at risk.—PPI