Dr. Haroon Hussain shares expert advice on preventing monsoon diseases in an exclusive VB interview
The arrival of the monsoon season brings with it a mixed bag of emotions. While the refreshing rains provide relief from the scorching heat, they also usher in a host of health challenges. The increased humidity and waterlogged surroundings create ideal breeding grounds for disease-causing pathogens, leading to a spike in illnesses. In coastal regions like Mangaluru, these challenges are particularly pronounced due to the geographical location and proximity to water bodies.
Amidst this backdrop, Dr. Haroon Hussain, a renowned physician working at KMC Hospital in Mangaluru, provides valuable insights into the prevention and management of monsoon-related diseases. In a interview with Vartha Bharati, Dr. Haroon shared his expertise on the most common diseases that afflict the region during this season, stressing the importance of personal protection, special care for vulnerable populations, and the role of nutrition and hygiene in maintaining good health.
In this comprehensive interview, Dr. Haroon delves into the modes of transmission, key symptoms, and signs of prevalent diseases such as vector-borne infections like malaria, dengue, and chikungunya. He also highlights the risks associated with water contamination, leading to diseases like typhoid fever, stomach flu, and diarrhea. By raising awareness about these diseases, Dr. Haroon aims to empower individuals to identify early warning signs and seek prompt medical attention when necessary.
Excerpts from the interview with Dr. Haroon Hussain (MBBS, MD) on measures to prevent and reduce risks of diseases during monsoon:
Q. The arrival of monsoons aggravates several kinds of diseases. Which are the most common ones that you think people should be aware of, especially in coastal regions like Mangaluru?
Dr. Haroon: In this geographical location, the most frequently observed diseases are vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue. Additionally, we also come across chikungunya, which is spread by mosquitoes.
Q. What are the primary modes of transmission for these diseases?
Dr. Haroon: Vector-borne diseases are transmitted through the bite of insects like mosquitoes or fleas. Diseases can also spread due to water contamination, resulting in typhoid fever, stomach flu, and diarrhea.
Q. What are the key symptoms and signs that individuals should be aware of to identify these diseases?
Dr. Haroon: Each disease has its own set of symptoms, but fever is generally a common indication of infection. For instance, flu symptoms typically involve throat pain, difficulty in swallowing, sneezing, coughing, fever, body ache, and joint pain. Malaria and dengue can cause extreme sickness, with symptoms like low platelet count, bleeding, vomiting, and dehydration. Cholera manifests symptoms related to the digestive system, including watery diarrhea and severe dehydration.
Q. Which specific contagious diseases are expected to be of concern in our city during the monsoon season?
Dr. Haroon: Leptospirosis, locally known as "ili jvara" or rat fever, is one of the most common diseases in rain-ravaged areas. People can get infected by coming in contact with the urine of carriers of this disease, which are primarily rodents. Walking barefoot or having cuts and abrasions on the skin can increase the risk of transmission. This disease can be life-threatening, so it's important to wear footwear that prevents water from coming in contact with the feet, as rainwater and sewage water may be contaminated by the carriers of the disease.
Q. As viral fever is generally known to be self-limiting, when should people who are infected seek professional medical help?
Dr. Haroon: It is difficult to determine the infection without a proper diagnosis. It's always better to consult a doctor rather than presuming the illness. Infected individuals should watch out for red flag signs, such as extreme tiredness, changes in consciousness, blood in urine or stools, inability to eat, headache, and vomiting. People with underlying health conditions should not take any fever lightly and should seek immediate medical attention.
Q. How important is vaccination in preventing contagious diseases during the monsoon season? Should influenza vaccines and measles vaccines be taken during monsoon to prevent infection?
Dr. Haroon: Influenza vaccines are highly recommended, and I suggest consulting a medical expert before taking them. Additionally, pneumococcal and typhoid vaccines can also be considered, but not everyone requires them. Only individuals at high risk of severe manifestations of certain diseases should consider them after consulting with their doctor.
Q. What dietary measures will you suggest to boost immunity during monsoon?
Dr. Haroon: The most important ways to boost immunity are by drinking boiled and cooled water, consuming freshly cooked food while avoiding outside food, and washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating. Practicing proper hand hygiene, avoiding crowded places, and following appropriate food handling and preparation practices are also vital in preventing the spread of infections.
Q. As children are most prone to contagious diseases, what extra measures should be considered?
Dr. Haroon: Parents should ensure that their kids carry a proper umbrella and preferably send an extra pair of clothes in case they get wet in the rain. It's better if children wear covered clothing and waterproof footwear. Furthermore, children should be taught proper handwashing techniques, and if they exhibit any symptoms, they should not be sent to school to prevent the spread of infection.
Q. As malaria is endemic in Mangaluru, what are the countermeasures to be taken to keep ourselves safe?
Dr. Haroon: : To prevent mosquito bites, personal protection measures should be followed, including wearing covered clothing. Special care must be given to vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. It's crucial to eliminate any mosquito breeding sources near your house. Coming together as a community and volunteering to solve the issue or informing the civic authorities can make a significant difference.
End of excerpts
Dr. Haroon Hussain's insights and recommendations on preventive measures during the monsoon season are invaluable for individuals and communities in coastal regions like Mangaluru. As we enter this season, it is crucial to be aware of the common diseases and their modes of transmission. By following Dr. Haroon's advice on personal protection, hygiene practices, and nutrition, we can significantly reduce the risks of infections.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us the importance of preparedness, and Dr. Haroon emphasizes this lesson in the context of monsoon-related diseases. His call for community engagement and volunteering to tackle disease outbreaks resonates strongly, underscoring the collective responsibility we have in safeguarding public health.
By being proactive, seeking medical attention when needed, and following vaccination recommendations, we can mitigate the impact of contagious diseases.
In conclusion, Dr. Haroon Hussain's expertise and recommendations serve as a guide for individuals, families, and communities to stay healthy and prevent disease outbreaks during the monsoon season. Let us heed his advice, adopt preventive measures, and work together to make this monsoon a season of good health and well-being for all.
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Netanyahu recommends his Cabinet approve Hezbollah cease-fire proposal
Beirut, Nov 26: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that he would recommend his cabinet adopt a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah, as Israeli warplanes struck across Lebanon, killing at least 23 people.
The Israeli military also issued a flurry of evacuation warnings — a sign it was aiming to inflict punishment on Hezbollah down to the final moments before any ceasefire takes hold. For the first time in the conflict, Israeli ground troops reached parts of Lebanon's Litani River, a focal point of the emerging deal.
In a televised statement, Netanyahu said he would present the ceasefire to Cabinet ministers later on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting.
Netanyahu said the vote was expected later Tuesday. It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal does not affect Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, which shows no signs of ending.
The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, kept up its rocket fire, triggering air raid sirens across northern Israel.
Lebanese officials have said Hezbollah also supports the deal. If approved by all sides, the deal would be a major step toward ending the Israel-Hezbollah war that has inflamed tensions across the region and raised fears of an even wider conflict between Israel and Hezbollah's patron, Iran.
The deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of Lebanese troops and UN peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides' compliance.
But implementation remains a major question mark. Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz insisted on Tuesday that the military would strike Hezbollah if the U.N. peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, doesn't provide “effective enforcement” of the deal.
“If you don't act, we will act, and with great force,” Katz said, speaking with UN special envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert.
The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, said Tuesday that Israel's security concerns had been addressed in the deal also brokered by France.
“There is not an excuse for not implementing a ceasefire. Otherwise, Lebanon will fall apart,” Borrell told reporters in Italy on the sidelines of a Group of Seven meeting. He said France would participate on the ceasefire implementation committee at Lebanon's request.
Bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs continues
Even as Israeli, US, Lebanese and international officials have expressed growing optimism over a ceasefire, Israel has continued its campaign in Lebanon, which it says aims to cripple Hezbollah's military capabilities.
An Israeli strike on Tuesday levelled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city's downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry.
Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure.
Earlier, Israeli jets struck at least six buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs. One strike slammed near the country's only airport, sending plumes of smoke into the sky. The airport has continued to function despite its location on the Mediterranean coast next to the densely populated suburbs where many of Hezbollah's operations are based.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in the suburbs, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where UNIFIL is headquartered.
UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate.
Other strikes hit in the southern city of Tyre, where the Israeli military said it killed a local Hezbollah commander.
The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometres from the Israeli border.
Previous ceasefire hopes were dashed
Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border.
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the strongest Iranian-backed force in the region, would likely significantly calm regional tensions that have led to fears of a direct, all-out war between Israel and Iran. It's not clear how the ceasefire will affect the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Hezbollah had long insisted that it would not agree to a ceasefire until the war in Gaza ends, but it dropped that condition.
Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since.
Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes.
More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members.
Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country's north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon.
After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted there could be last-minute hitches that delay or destroy an agreement.
“Nothing is done until everything is done,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said.
While the ceasefire proposal is expected to be approved if Netanyahu brings it to a vote in his security Cabinet, one hard-line member, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said he would oppose it. He said on X that a deal with Lebanon would be a “big mistake” and a “missed historic opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah.”
