Waterborne disease control in natural disasters

ABSTRACT

Natural disaster can have profound deleterious effects on public and private water systems. These negative impacts also pose a threat to the public's health through the effects of hazardous materials released into the environment by the disaster or through the transmission of waterborne or water-associated diseases. Natural disaster, especially floods, may cause the contamination of water supplies by sewage and the proliferation of mosquitoes, files and rats. One of the mayor health consequences of disasters is contamination of the water supply by phatologies microbes. Prevention and control of waterborne diseases in the disaster area fall within the purview of the preventive medicine team. Protection of the health of emergency responders is give highest priority. Provision of emergencies supplies of potable water restoration of water-treatment and sewage-treatment systems, food-service inspections, testing of water supplies for coliforms, sanitation in emergency shelters and environmental sanitation in general. Monitoring and suppresion (if necessary and feasible) of pest and vector populations, epidemiological surveillance activities of the preventive medicine team. (AU)