The water crisis hitting Cape Town is increasing the danger of diseases that surge when people do not wash their hands.
The four million residents of South Africa’s second-largest city are being urged to get by on 50 liters (13 gallons) of water per person per day.
The restrictions have spurred officials to warn about potential risks to public health.
Together, we can avoid #DayZero.
#SaveWater pic.twitter.com/5g6hs26Yk0 — Western Cape Gov (@WesternCapeGov) February 2, 2018 The warnings come amid a seasonal spike in diarrhea that occurs annually in Cape Town from February through April, when warmer weather encourages the spread of germs.
The Western Cape province also is battling the second-highest incidence of listeriosis in South Africa, which is suffering from the largest outbreak of the disease on record.
Listeriosis, which particularly threatens newborns, can spread through inadequate hand-washing and a failure to rinse fruits, vegetables and other raw foods thoroughly.
Officials warn that such water-borne borne illnesses as cholera, hepatitis A and typhoid fever “likely will become more prevalent” as locals take to storing water in contaminated containers.
Such projections remain conjecture, he adds, as the city has yet to experience an uptick in diarrhea among infants compared with prior years.
“While there are many dos and don’ts for the use of alternative water sources, there is one common thread and that is that it should not be used for drinking or cooking and in most cases not for personal hygiene either,” said JP Smith, an alderman who sits on the mayor’s committee for safety and security.