Warning of contaminated water and infection risk after flood disaster

Following the flooding and flood disaster in Istanbul and surrounding provinces, a public health threat has emerged due to contaminated water and food. Emrah Kırımlı, a member of the Istanbul Medical Chamber Executive Board, issued warnings regarding hygiene, the use of clean water, and infection risks.

Following the flooding that occurred last week in Istanbul and surrounding provinces, the health risks brought by flood waters have come to the agenda. While infections that can be transmitted through contaminated water and food threaten public health, hygiene and the use of clean water are important against many diseases ranging from intestinal infections to hepatitis A and E, typhoid, leptospirosis, and tetanus.

Emrah Kırımlı, a member of the Istanbul Medical Chamber Executive Board, stated that digestive system diseases are among the frequently encountered problems after floods due to the contamination of utility water. Kırımlı emphasized that vulnerable groups and individuals with lower socioeconomic status experience difficulties in accessing health services, and this situation can pose a life-threatening danger.

Conveying that those experiencing prolonged diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or urinary complaints should apply to a health institution, Kırımlı stated that tap water should not be used for drinking, food preparation, and personal care purposes unless authorized institutions declare it safe. It was requested that boiled and cooled or bottled waters be preferred for food preparation, personal hygiene, and wound care.

Stating that infrastructure measures must be taken in regions at risk of flooding to prevent the risk of epidemics, Kırımlı noted that planning must be made before disasters for the elderly, chronically ill, and those in need of care. Attention was drawn to the importance of accessing health services and maintaining regular treatments during a disaster.