Columbia Asia Hospital in Bengaluru has issued precautionary measures to be taken during monsoon.

The hospital’s Dr Vinod Kumar Reddy, Consultant – Internal Medicine, Columbia Asia Hospital at Whitefield, said “Come monsoon and as much as we enjoy the pitter-patter of raindrops, we need to take adequate precautions to stay fit this season as health woes during monsoon are plenty.”

He further added that: “With Bangalore experiencing seasonal downpour, people need to be prepared for the health concerns that the weather brings along.”

Water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, stomach disorders, dysentery along with common cold, fever and mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria are common phenomenons during the monsoon season.

“Therefore, it is important for people to take precautionary measures to side-step infections,” said Dr Reddy.

Common symptoms

Common symptoms to look out for diseases during monsoons:

Water-borne infections: Fatigue, severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and pale skin.

Mosquito-borne diseases: High fever, skin rash, headache, painful eyes, loss of appetite and muscle pain.

Viral fever: Runny nose, sore throat, muscle ache and headache

Dr Reddy’s has listed some of the precautionary measures to be taken in the monsoon season:

Eat right: Avoid outside food as well as junk food and gorge on fresh fruits and vegetables to boost the body's immunity. To get rid of germs, make sure that you properly wash leafy vegetables in salt water before cooking

Drink purified water: Always carry a water bottle and avoid drinking tap water from outside. This will help prevent water-borne diseases

Avoid getting drenched: Keep an umbrella or a raincoat to avoid getting drenched in the rain as the cold water can easily lead to a fever and cold

Avoid touching eyes: Refrain from touching eyes as this can lead to eye infections such as dry eyes, stye, conjunctivitis or corneal ulcers

Wash hands frequently: Make sure that you wash hands frequently or use a sanitizer to keep hands and work desk clean. This is important as most infections spread due to dirty hands

Wear full-sleeve clothes: Wearing full sleeved clothes will help avoid mosquito bites during the daylight hours

Use mosquito repellents: One of the most important precautionary measures is to apply mosquito repellents before leaving home for work

Keep surroundings clean: Cleanliness is essential, especially during the monsoons, to avoid infections and diseases. Also, don’t let water stagnate in your surroundings to prevent mosquito breeding

Make the house mosquito proof: Keep windows and doors closed or use mosquito nets on the windows to avoid mosquitoes entering the house

Keep clear of damp indoors: For people suffering from breathing problems, damp walls can increase the risk during monsoons as dampness encourages fungus growth. Make sure to tackle damp walls this season