Hot Summer Weather Brings Seasonal Diseases, Public Health Ministry Warns

[george]

Hot summer weather brings seasonal diseases, Public Health ministry warns

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's physical landscape is beginning to suffer the annual seige of summer, the predictably hot weather that always seems hotter than in years before. And the torrid weather associated with cloudless skies means the onset of summer diseases, the Ministry of Public Health warned Sunday.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Public Health has implemented measures to contain the diseases associated with the summer months and prevent illnesses which normally occur during the annual hot season.

The ministry has ordered its officials to set up "Mr. Clean" teams to inspect markets and food stalls nationwide to ensure sanitary of markets and the cleanliness of prepared foods being served, to prevent possible outbreaks during the summer months.

The common illnesses during summer are diarrhea, food poisoning, dysentary, typhoid fever, rabies, and cholera, according to Public Health Minister Pinit Jarusombat.

More than 1,200 mobile teams are also available on a standby basis to inspect areas where the new infections are found, in order to prevent the spread of the six major seasonal maladies, he said.

Drought in some areas also increases the risk of speading of illnesses related to unclean food and drinks.

Consumers and health volunteers alike are warned to maintain the cleanliness of public toilets--as well as private homes and offices--as one of the preventive measures against dry season diseases, as unsanitary surroundings provide favourable conditions for the development of disease.

Mr. Pinit said consumers are also warned to wash their hands before meals and eat only well-cooked food. Owners of dogs, cats and other pets are advised to vaccinate their pets to protect them from rabies .

Acting Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr. Prat Booyawongwirote said that there were 12,308 reported cases of these diseases in January and February nationwide, but no fatalities. Most of them -- 10,831 cases -- suffered food poisoning followed by dysentary with 1,171 cases and typhoid fever with 281 reported cases.

--TNA 2006-03-05

[lung]

i eat a lot of chicken.make's me this not resist.

soo much antibiotica inside.maybe to much ??

[zzap]

and cholera,

Well, that's news to me!