On Saturday, Mumbai witnessed heavy downpour where waterlogging incidents were reported at various places. Along with Mumbaikars, the civic body workers, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team and police were wading in the water helping people.
Dr Avinash Supe, BMC’s medical education director, has asked people and BMC workers to take antibiotics if they have waded in rainwater for more than half an hour. As per Supe, getting exposed to flooded water increases the risk of contracting leptospirosis.
Citizens who were exposed to flooded water for more than half an hour should visit a nearby civic hospital or dispensary and take chemoprophylaxis for prevention of leptospirosis,” Dr Avinash Supe, BMC’s medical education director.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that is caused by wading through floods contaminated with the urine of infected animals. Since the 2005 deluge, it has become a major monsoon concern as 66 people lost their lives to leptospirosis.
Dr Supe added that leptospirosis strikes seven to 12 days after a person wades through contaminated water.
- A single dose of 200mg of doxycycline or azithromycin.
- Within 72 hours of exposure
- These antibiotics will be distributed free at BMC’s dispensaries and hospitals
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