FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1976
13 -
ADVICE ON HEALTH MEASURES TO PREVENT
GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASES
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THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT TODAY ADVISED THE PUBLIC TO TAKE PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AGAINST THE POSSIBLE OUTBREAK OF CERTAIN GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASES WHICH TEND TO BECOME PREVALENT
IN THE WARM SEASON,
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE WARM WEATHER THE PUBLIC SHOULD PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO PERSONAL, FOOD AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE, WHICH IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHOD IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF THESE DISEASES.
COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE WARM WEATHER ARE SUCH DISEASES AS TYPHOID FEVER, DYSENTERY, FOOD POISONING AND VIRAL HEPATITIS,
AS MOST GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASES ARE TRANSMITTED THROUGH CONTAMINATED FOOD AND DRINK, OR NEGLECT IN PERSONAL HYGIENE, THE SPOKESMAN URGED THE PUBLIC TO BE +EXTRA CAUTIOUS+ IN EATING, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY EAT AT PUBLIC PLACES.
HE WARNED THAT IMPROPERLY COOKED FOOD COULD CAUSE INFECTION AND FURTHER ADVISED THAT PROPERLY COOKED FOOD, IF NOT EATEN
IMMEDIATELY, SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UNCOVERED AND EXPOSED TO CONTAMINATION.
PROPER STORAGE OF PREPARED FOOD WOULD ALSO REDUCE THE RISK OF FOOD POISONING, PARTICULARLY IN THE HOT WEATHER.
AS FOR OTHER PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES, THE PUBLIC NEED ONLY TO OBSERVE SOME SIMPLE RULES OF PERSONAL HYGIENE, SUCH AS WASHING OF HANDS BEFORE MEALS AND AFTER VISITS TO TOILETS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS, SUCH AS PROPER DISPOSAL OF REFUSE AND EXCRETA, IS MOST ESSENTAIL IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF DISEASES, HE ADDED.
THE SPOKESMAN RECALLED THAT AN OUTBREAK OF VIRAL HEPATITIS OCCURED LAST SPRING/SUMMER WITH MORE THAN 800 CASES IN THE THREE-MONTH PERIOD FROM APRIL TO JUNE.
HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE INCIDENCE HAD SINCE DECLINED AND RETURNED TO THE NORMAL LEVEL, THE PUBLIC SHOULD CONTINUE THEIR VIGILANCE IN PREVENTION.
THE SPOKESMAN ALSO WARNED THE PUBLIC TO BE ON THE ALERT IN PREVENTING THE OCCURANCE OF RED EYE+ DISEASE, WHICH IS QUITE COMMON DURING THE SWIMMING SEASON.
AN OUTBREAK OF THE HIGHLY INFECTIOUS DISEASE OCCURED LAST SUMMER WHEN MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE WERE TREATED IN THE GOVERNMENT'S EYE CLINICS IN SEPTEMBER ALONE.
/THE SPOKESMAN