Health Officials Issue Warning

Health officials are once again warning people not to be complacent and to take precautionary measures against water borne diseases following the severe flooding in the country.

The warning comes after several hospitals have confirmed receiving cases of confirmed and possible dengue, diarrhea and leptospirosis cases.

Divisional Medical Officer Western Dr Tharid Ali said they have received a further 2 cases of diarrhea since yesterday which brings the number to 17.

Ali added they also received one suspected dengue case from Sigatoka with only one confirmed case of leptospirosis.

The General Manager Community Health Central Eastern Division Dr Solo Qaranivalu said that they are still collecting results from the affected areas however he said the Rewa subdivision has seen 10 people suffering from viral infection and five from diarrhea.

He said they have not come across any leptospirosis cases in the Rewa Delta and is calling on people to wear shoes while going out, not to bath in muddy creeks and streams, use mosquito nets and to only drink boiled water to avoid getting sick.

Meanwhile, the Labasa Hospital has so far received 62 reported probable cases of dengue for the month of January.

This has been confirmed by General Manger Dr Samuela Korovou who said the hospital is currently awaiting the test results which have been sent to Viti Levu.

He said the cases are not only for the Labasa area as some of them were referred from other health centres around the northern division.

Korovou said the hospital also has one confirmed case of leptospirosis, and is calling on the people in the north to clean their compounds and to boil all drinking water to avoid getting sick.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross Divisions in the west have confirmed that people in a number of areas they have visited are suffering from water borne diseases.

The Red Cross Ba Branch said people are suffering from diarrhea in Votua and Mataniqara and to help they have been handing out hygiene packs and purifying tablets.

The Red Cross Nadi Branch said diarrhea is common in most of the places they have visited especially at Namotomoto and Nawaka.

Again please take precautions and boil all drinking water and wear proper footwear when attending to animals or visiting farm areas and other muddy livestock areas.