As the recent plum rain front brought torrential rains, floods have resulted in several areas in Taiwan. The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) reminds the residents in flooded areas to pay attention to food safety and take precautions while cleaning their households after flood water subsided as well as implement three steps: “clean, remove, disinfect” to prevent infectious diseases. In addition, the public is advised to take the following measures:

1. While cleaning up households, protect your hands and feet by putting on protective gears such as waterproof boots and gloves to avoid contracting leptospirosis, melioidosis and tetanus.

Wear waterproof gloves, gumboots, and faceemasks when cleaning the environment and avoid contact with contaminated water. After cleanup activities, wash up immediately and thoroughly with soap. Avoid exposing to contaminated water or damp soil and walking barefoot across suspicious ponds or still water, especially elderly people, people in poor health, people with weakened immune systems and people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and alcohol addiction, in order to prevent puncture wounds or cuts by rusty objects that could lead to leptospirosis, melioidosis and tetanus. People who develop symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, stomach ache, diarrhea, jaundice, and fatigue should seek immediate medical attention and notify the doctor of the area of their residence, the cause of injury and the history of their exposure to contaminated water and/or soil.

2. Prevent dengue fever by eliminating habitats of vector mosquitoes.

As we have entered the dengue season and southern Taiwan is at high risk for dengue transmission, the public is urged to voluntarily remove vector-breeding sites, ensure the cleanliness of the environment as well as recycle all unwanted containers in and around the residence in order to prevent the breeding of the vector mosquito and dengue transmission in the community.

3. Observe proper water, food and environmental hygiene to prevent enteric diseases.

Heavy rain may cause an increase in water turbidity and affect water safety. If reservoirs have come in contact with floodwater, they should be cleaned and disinfected first, and then be refilled again. If disinfectant odor is present in your tap water, the water should be boiled for 3 minutes prior to consumption. When necessary, use bottled water to assure water safety. Don’t consume food that has been soaked in the flood water or left unfrozen for too long. Don’t use contaminated tableware and utensils until they have been disinfected. To disinfect indoors areas, floors, walls, toilets, showers, kitchens and bedrooms need to be wiped clean and disinfected with a 500ppm chlorine solution (i.e. a solution of 100cc of liquid household bleach in 10 liters of water) Don’t use contaminated tableware and utensils until they have been disinfected. To disinfect kitchen utensils and cutleries, they should be boiled, and for those that cannot be boiled, soak them in a 200ppm chlorine solution (i.e. a solution of 40cc of liquid household bleach in 10 liters of water) for 30 minutes.

Taiwan CDC urges physicians to stay vigilant and reinforce the reporting of suspected cases to ensure prompt treatment and subsequent implementation of the relevant prevention and control measures. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).