Eat healthy and stay cool this summer, say doctors.
But with the increasing water scarcity, illnesses such as Hepatitis A, typhoid and diarrhoeal disease too could start spreading, they say.
“Contaminated water could lead to diarrhoeal disease, Hepatitis A, dysentery and viral gastroenteritis,” said S. Subramanian, infectious diseases consultant, Gleneagles Global Hospitals.
“As the city is reeling under severe heat, residents must be careful, especially the young and the elderly.
“Check your water filters and make sure they are working properly, and cleaned periodically” he said.
“These include febrile seizures, urinary infections, skin infections and heat exhaustion.
Dr. Sankar also said that cases of accidental ingestions of kerosene, phenyl and toilet cleaner are coming in, as thirsty children mistook the liquids for beverages, especially if they were stored in soft drink bottles.
Cases of diarrhoeal disease have started coming in at SIMS Hospital, said consultant physician Jaichitra Suresh.
As water lorries are used more in the dry season, we are also checking their sources of water to see if they are safe.
While diarrhoeal disease is an acute condition, leptospirosis, typhoid and others are slower to develop, he said.