Thais battle flood-borne disease
Source: Agencies |
November 4, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
RANCID brown water licks at Samroeng Verravanich's thighs as he wades through one of Bangkok's many flooded streets. The garbageman plunges a white-gloved hand into the filth, fishes out a slimy plastic bag and slings it into the red basket he is towing.
"If you have cuts, it can create infections between your fingers," Samroeng said of the dirty water, holding out a dripping hand peppered with a red rash. "My hands are infected. It hurts and it spreads like a virus."
As Thailand's worst floods in more than half a century continue to creep into Bangkok, mixing with water bubbling up through drains and spilling over canals, many streets have become floating landfills. Plastic bags overflow with waste and rotten food, clinging to boats, cars, motorbikes and people as they snake through inundated roadways. Raw sewage and animal carcasses can be seen bobbing in waters ripe for disease.
No major disease outbreaks have been reported since monsoon rains spawned floods that began swallowing areas north of the capital in late July. But experts warn the biggest health threats are likely to emerge in the coming weeks after moving floodwaters subside, leaving stale pools.
"There is a lot of danger," said Mark Thomas, a spokesman for UNICEF, which is assisting with sanitation issues. "You need to keep kids out of the water, and everybody should stay out of the water as much as possible."
Mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, are a concern, as well as eye infections and waterborne ailments that can lead to diarrhea and dehydration.
Skin diseases and fungal infections are the flood's biggest plague so far, with nearly 100,000 cases of athlete's foot. Bouts of diarrhea and respiratory infections are also common, especially with many flood victims sheltering in hot, cramped sites that may not have electricity or clean water.
Some 110,000 people have been displaced nationwide and more than 400 have been killed, mostly drowned.
"If you have cuts, it can create infections between your fingers," Samroeng said of the dirty water, holding out a dripping hand peppered with a red rash. "My hands are infected. It hurts and it spreads like a virus."
As Thailand's worst floods in more than half a century continue to creep into Bangkok, mixing with water bubbling up through drains and spilling over canals, many streets have become floating landfills. Plastic bags overflow with waste and rotten food, clinging to boats, cars, motorbikes and people as they snake through inundated roadways. Raw sewage and animal carcasses can be seen bobbing in waters ripe for disease.
No major disease outbreaks have been reported since monsoon rains spawned floods that began swallowing areas north of the capital in late July. But experts warn the biggest health threats are likely to emerge in the coming weeks after moving floodwaters subside, leaving stale pools.
"There is a lot of danger," said Mark Thomas, a spokesman for UNICEF, which is assisting with sanitation issues. "You need to keep kids out of the water, and everybody should stay out of the water as much as possible."
Mosquito-borne diseases, such as dengue fever, are a concern, as well as eye infections and waterborne ailments that can lead to diarrhea and dehydration.
Skin diseases and fungal infections are the flood's biggest plague so far, with nearly 100,000 cases of athlete's foot. Bouts of diarrhea and respiratory infections are also common, especially with many flood victims sheltering in hot, cramped sites that may not have electricity or clean water.
Some 110,000 people have been displaced nationwide and more than 400 have been killed, mostly drowned.
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