น้ำท่วม อหิวาตกโรค ควรระวัง?

น้ำท่วม + อหิวาตกโรค

We have reports on newspapers about the unsettled weather, rains, storms, floods, … and warnings from experiences of many countries around the world of past outbreaks of ‘cholera’ (อหิวาตกโรค) during and after floods. In simple words, Cholera outbreaks can come with floods. We already know cholera can kill many many people. What are we (Thailand) doing about this threat to our lives?

น้ำท่วมกทม. 2554 -  รูปจาก กรุงเทพธุรกิจ

 

Looking the Net would tell us that WHO has declared a cholera outbreak in Malawi (a country in Africa) in March this year. There are many research papers and case studies on the Net to confirm that Cholera outbreaks can occur with floods. Many preventive measures have been used and found effective in saving lives if warnings and measures are given ‘early’.

If our Health Authorities are a bit slow in warning us, should we assume that there is no cause for concerns? And we should not panic and should do nothing?

Should we be proactive and exercise preventive measures ourselves? We know more restrictions on our activities (life and freedom) on top of COVID-19 restrictions are not really welcome. But keeping alive and healthy is in the ‘new normal’. Difficult as it may be, the alternative can be 'early death'. No much of a choice, is there?

It is up to you what you choose to do for yourselves and your family (and for some, your employees, co-workers, …, your country). Cholera is an infectious, epidemic disease. Like COVID-19, it can kill a lot of people in relative short time. (WHO reported in 2022 that worldwide some 1.3 -4.0 millions were infected and some 21,000 - 143,000 people died from cholera.) You can wait for warnings, wait for a visit by politicians and authorities (with ration food bags), wait for hospital beds (already filled with COVID-19 and other patients), wait for ‘เจอ แจก จบ’ (in this cholera case: cholera oral vaccine, toilet tissues and ORS water), or wait .. Please visit  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cholera while you wait.

Do our hospitals, our charity rescue organizations, police and defense force teams have counter-cholera plans? We do not know. The government has said/warned nothing to us. Politicians are perhaps too busy with their own survival. It makes sense to have a plan for your own health and life. So, do your research and put into action what is the best way to counter cholera and COVID and .. for you. Stay alive and good luck.

==Notes

Cholera n : an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of contaminated water or food; epidemic; caused by Vibrio cholerae bacterium; also known as bubonic plague

อหิวาต์ [อะหิวาตะกะ-] น. ชื่อโรคระบาดชนิดหนึ่ง มีอาการลงราก. (ป.).  [Royal Institute Dictionary (2542 Th-Th)];  – note the pronunciation is correct for อหิวาตกโรค ]

ลงราก ก. ท้องเดินและอาเจียน

==ahivati [Monier-Williams S-E dictionary] filled with snakes; from ahi: snake; serpent of the sky, demon

ahivātakaroga m.; buboenic plague; cholera;

WHO https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cholera 

Cholera is an easily treatable disease. The majority of people can be treated successfully through prompt administration of oral rehydration solution (ORS). The WHO/UNICEF ORS standard sachet is dissolved in 1 litre (L) of clean water. Adult patients may require up to 6 L of ORS to treat moderate dehydration on the first day.