In the context of the tragedy that has been plaguing Rio Grande do Sul since the beginning of the week, the Society of Pediatrics of Rio Grande do Sul (SPRS) issues an important warning about the risks of diseases and contamination in children due to flooding. One of the main fears is gastrointestinal infections, which can arise due to contact with contaminated water. Faced with this critical scenario, SPRS highlights the importance of preventive measures and provides guidance on the necessary care to protect children’s health. The president of SPRS, José Paulo Ferreira, highlights the importance of guaranteeing access to drinking water and avoiding contact with contaminated water, despite the difficulties faced during the tragedy.
Photo: Giulian Serafim / PMPA / Porto Alegre 24 hours
“It is important to be careful, especially with drinking water, and with the issue of not coming into contact with contaminated water. These are difficult things at the time of tragedy, but as far as possible it is a precaution that helps to make the scenario even more more serious,” he said.
Other risk situations are: leptospirosis, hepatitis A, cholera and tetanus. The State Health Surveillance Center (Cevs) published on Friday (05/03) a risk statement regarding the risks of leptospirosis transmission and accidents with venomous animals in flooded areas. In disasters involving floods, affected people are exposed to dirty water, which brings contamination, especially when cleaning their homes – and there are diseases that come from this circulation and contact with water. As there is no vaccine against leptospirosis, prevention is by using boots, gloves and avoiding contact with water.
SPRS is available to assist those who wish to collaborate or who have questions about how to deal with children in emergencies. For more information or clarification, SPRS recommends that people contact [email protected].
Care when drinking water:
• Filter the water using a domestic filter. If this is not possible, use a paper strainer or clean cloth
• If it is impossible to filter or strain, reserve or place the water in a clean container and let the dirt settle (go down to the bottom of the container) until the water becomes clear. Then, carefully separate the clean water, place it in another clean container and disinfect with bleach (2.5% sodium hypochlorite solution).
• Add two drops of bleach to one liter of water to inactivate/eliminate disease-causing microorganisms
• Wait 30 minutes to drink the water, the time needed for the hypochlorite to eliminate the microorganisms present in the water
• If you notice any changes in the tap water (such as a different odor and/or color than usual), contact the sanitation company responsible for distribution and/or your municipality’s health department
*With information from SPRS/Marcelo Matusiak (advisory)
