Floods often occur when the rainy season arrives. This condition makes the body vulnerable to various diseases that often appear during floods. Therefore, it is important to know more about these diseases so that you stay healthy and preventative steps can be taken early on.
Rain that continues during the rainy season makes the air more humid and makes it easier for disease-causing germs, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi, to breed in various places.
Therefore, be aware of various diseases that often appear during floods and rainy seasons, and identify easy ways to prevent them.
Various Diseases That Often Appear During Floods
The following are various types of diseases that often appear during floods and rainy seasons:
1. Flu
Flu or influenza is a viral infection that attacks the respiratory system. This disease is caused by the influenza virus and can be spread through phlegm, snot, or saliva that is released when someone with the flu coughs or sneezes.
A person who has the flu will usually show several symptoms, such as fever, cough, aches, and sore throat. The flu often goes away on its own, but the influenza virus can sometimes cause complications such as pneumonia.
2. Dengue hemorrhagic fever
Dengue hemorrhagic fever or DHF is a disease caused by the dengue virus and is spread through mosquito bites Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus.
This type of mosquito easily breeds in standing water, especially containers or water reservoirs. This is what causes dengue cases often occur during the rainy season.
DHF sufferers can feel symptoms in the form of muscle and bone pain, fever, headache, and red spots appear on the skin. If not treated immediately, this disease that often appears during floods is at risk of causing complications such as shock and bleeding.
3. Malaria
Malaria is a disease caused by parasitic infection Plasmodium which is transmitted through mosquito bites Anopheles. Just like a mosquito Aedes aegypti, this type of mosquito is also easy to thrive during the rainy season. This is what makes malaria endemic in areas with high rainfall, including Indonesia.
Malaria can cause a person to experience fever, bone and muscle pain, chills, and weakness. In certain cases, malaria can attack the brain and cause cerebral malaria which can threaten the life of the sufferer.
4. Diarrhea
Diarrhea can be caused by many things, for example the consumption of food and drinks that have been contaminated with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Most cases of diarrhea go away on their own within a few days.
However, diarrhea can sometimes be quite severe and not go away after weeks. Diarrhea that is not treated properly can also lead to dehydration and shock due to lack of body fluids.
5. Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver caused by infection with the hepatitis A virus. This disease can cause symptoms of nausea, vomiting, fatigue, stomach pain, loss of appetite, and fever. In certain cases, hepatitis A can also cause jaundice.
6. Typhoid Fever
Typhoid fever or typhoid is a disease caused by a bacterial infection Salmonella typhi. These germs can be spread through dirty food and water, including flood water.
People who get typhoid fever can have a fever for weeks and some other symptoms, such as abdominal pain, headache, lack of appetite, constipation, and diarrhea.
This disease needs to be treated immediately so as not to endanger the sufferer. If not treated properly, typhoid fever can cause complications, such as meningitis, liver and gallbladder infections, pneumonia, to kidney and heart disorders.
7. Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a disease that is transmitted through urine or blood from animals such as rats, dogs, and cows. A person can also get this disease when in contact with soil or water that has been contaminated with bacteria Leptospira.
When exposed to leptospirosis, a person can experience symptoms of headache, nausea, vomiting, red eyes, chills, pain in the calf, and abdominal pain. In severe cases, this disease can cause sepsis, liver disorders, kidney failure, meningitis, to respiratory failure.
In addition to these various diseases, there are also other diseases that often appear when the rainy season arrives, namely asthma attacks. Cold weather in the rainy season is often a trigger factor for the recurrence of asthma symptoms in some sufferers.
How to Prevent Disease Attacks in the Rainy Season
You can prevent various diseases that often appear during floods and rainy seasons by following some of these tips:
Strengthen the body's resistance
With a strong immune system, the body will be able to fight various germs and viruses that cause infection. Thus, the risk of disease during floods and rainy seasons can be reduced.
You can strengthen your immune system by eating nutritious and antioxidant-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables, and getting enough rest.
Exercise regularly
The rainy season is not a barrier for you to keep exercising regularly. This is because exercise is very important to maintain physical fitness, so you can avoid disease.
There are various types of ailments that you can do indoors during the rainy season, such as jumping rope, yoga, push-ups, and sit-ups. You are advised to regularly exercise for at least 30 minutes every day or at least three times a week.
Don't forget to warm up before exercise and cool down after to prevent muscle cramps.
Maintain cleanliness
Maintaining personal hygiene by regularly washing hands before and after eating, after using the toilet, or after touching dirty objects, is one of the main steps to prevent various infectious diseases.
When you want to cook, also make sure the food ingredients and cooking utensils are washed clean. During this COVID-19 pandemic, you are also advised to stay away from crowds, use masks in public places, and always maintain physical distance.
Avoid mosquito bites
During the rainy season, mosquitoes are easier to breed. This condition causes the risk of getting DHF even higher.
As a form of prevention, carry out the 3M movement, namely by closing water reservoirs, regularly draining water tanks, and burying used items that have the potential to cause puddles of water, such as cans and bottles.
To prevent mosquito bites, you should also use mosquito repellent lotion or spray and wear long-sleeved clothes and long pants, especially when doing outdoor activities.
If the area where you live is flooded, as much as possible avoid walking or activities in puddles. After the flood subsides, clean all the furniture in the house and use a disinfectant.
In addition to the above methods, you can also get influenza, dengue, and hepatitis A vaccines to boost your immune system against these diseases.
Recognizing various types of diseases that often appear during floods and rainy seasons can make you more alert and always maintain personal and environmental hygiene.
If you experience symptoms of illness that often appear during floods, such as fever, diarrhea, and weakness, immediately consult a doctor for treatment.
