Panaji: April 23, 2018 …. Directorate of Health Services (DHS) has issued its advisory regarding increased susceptibility diseases Food and Waterborne Diseases during the summer and Pre-monsoon season such as Typhoid, Diarrhoea, Cholera, Viral Hepatitis etc. Common symptoms of waterborne & Food borne infections are Fever, Nausea, Vomiting, loose motions, jaundice, abdominal pain and fatigue. It is informed that all the cases with above mentioned symptoms should be immediately reported to the nearest health centre or physician.
Public is requested to take measures for prevention from Waterborne and Food borne infections. Public is requested to be clean, keep good personal hygiene, washing hands before handling food, during food preparation, before eating and after going to the toilet, sanitizing all surfaces and equipment in kitchen and do not throwing garbage in open are some of the measures to prevent from seasonal diseases.
Also, separate cooking of raw and cooked food, raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods, usage of separate utensils such as knives and cutting boards for handling raw foods , cooking food thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, eggs and seafood, bringing foods like soups and stews to boiling to make sure that they have reached 70°C, consumption freshly cooked food and boiled water.
Public is informed that not to leave cooked food at room temperature for more than 2 hours, refrigerate promptly all cooked and perishable food (preferably below 5°C), keep cooked food piping hot (more than 60°C) prior to serving, do not store food too long even in the refrigerator, do not thaw frozen food at room temperature, do not expose food and beverages to flies.
DHS has also appealed to public to use safe water or treat it to make it safe or use boiled water, select fresh and wholesome foods, choose foods processed for safety, such as pasteurized milk, wash fruits and vegetables, especially if eaten raw, do not use food beyond its expiry date, do not consume water, milkshakes, fruit juices and eatables from roadside vendors. And also be careful what you eat”, unpasteurized milk, non-bottled drinks, uncooked food should be avoided. U se boiled water or bottled mineral water (now available everywhere), travellers should be aware of the importance of oral rehydration fluids containing salt and glucose for countering dehydration.
