Number of Gastroenteritis caseson the decline
Government Information Service
The Public Health Services, which has beenmonitoring an outbreak of gastroenteritis, has announced thatthe numbers of reported cases are declining.
"Usually two to five cases are reported per week; however,ten were reported in the week of 9 - 15 July, and 20 during 16- 22 July," said Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kiran Kumar."The number increased to 30 and 26 for the following weeks,with 11 cases reported during the week of 5 -12 August."He added that all ages affected, with about 30 percent being youngerthan five years of age.
'I am pleased that the gastroenteritis cases have been eithernil or one per week in Cayman Brac for the past six weeks,' henoted.
Dr. Kumar explained that a variety of viruses or bacteria causesgastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach as well as ofthe small and large intestines. Besides diarrhoea and vomiting,symptoms may include headache, fever and abdominal cramps. Theillness generally begins one to six days following infection,and may last for one to ten days. Coconut water is good for thepatients.
Persons contract the germs by consuming contaminated foods andwater, or breathing contaminated air, he explained. The germsare passed in stools usually for one week; therefore, if a childpasses stools indiscriminately, or if disposable diapers are leftin open garbage containers, flies may transfer the germs fromthe stools to food and other articles. In addition, some viruseslive in the respiratory secretions of infected children, and maythus enter the atmosphere.
To prevent the disease from occurring or spreading, the PublicHealth Department has issued these guidelines:
· Healthy persons should stay away from those who are ill.
· Sick children should be kept away from schools or nurseriesfor one week from onset of first symptoms.
· Good personal hygiene must be maintained.
· Anyone who attends to a sick person should wash his orher hands with soap and water and, if possible, use antisepticssuch as Dettol or Savlon.
· Use insecticide to control flies. Proper garbage collectionand disposal will reduce the fly population.
· Your food and drinking water must be safe. Well-cookedfoods that are eaten while hot will minimise the risk of infection.Use desalinated, bottled, or boiled water.
· Disposable diapers should be placed in a garbage bag,which then should be tied or otherwise secured, and put into acovered container for collection.
· Toilets should be disinfected after use, so that otherpersons using them will not contract the illness.
· Disinfect cisterns by adding 2.5 ounces of bleach foreach 1,000 gallons of water in the cistern.
For more information, please call Faith Hospital at 948-2243,948-2245 or 948-2325; the Public Health Department at 914-2627or 914-2621. For assistance with cisterns, contact EnvironmentalHealth at 948-2324 on the Brac or 949-6696 in Grand Cayman.