“Stagnant rainwater can harbour diseases like leptospirosis. Avoid walking in stagnant rainwater.” That is the warning the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has put out to Mumbai residents, in a health advisory Hindustan Times reported.
Waterlogged monsoon streets hold more than rain, the paper notes. Sewage, garbage, animal manure and industrial chemicals mix in. Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that can be fatal, spreads through contaminated floodwater.
What a doctor says
Dr Murtaza S Bagwala, head of emergency medicine at Saifee Hospital in Mumbai, told HT Lifestyle that the bacteria are carried in the urine of infected animals, especially rats. “Rats are also found in urban areas, so there is a heightened risk after heavy rainfall and flooding,” he said.
The trouble is that the early symptoms often look like a viral illness, so people tend to brush them off. Left untreated, the infection can damage the kidneys, liver, lungs and other organs, and it can kill. One early sign he flagged is muscle pain, particularly in the calves and lower back. Early treatment, he said, makes a big difference.
Three risk levels and a 72-hour window
The BMC sorts exposure into three groups to guide treatment. Low risk means no visible cuts or wounds and a single walk through floodwater. Moderate risk applies to people with minor injuries, cuts or abrasions on the feet or legs who waded through the water. High risk covers sanitation and rescue workers with prolonged contact with stagnant water, and anyone exposed repeatedly.
The civic body also stresses what it calls the 72-hour golden window. Any Mumbaikar who has waded through floodwater should seek medical advice and begin preventive treatment within 24 to 72 hours of exposure. Treatment in the first 72 hours, the report says, neutralises the bacteria before they can multiply and attack vital organs.
Hindustan Times adds that its article is informational only and no substitute for a doctor’s advice.
