3,500 reports of diarrhoea and vomiting so far this year

Cases of diarrhoea and vomiting have increased this year and Health Protection Agency (HPA) has had over 3,000 cases reported to them.

HPA said that a total of 3,580 cases of diarrhoea have been reported so far this year. In the past week, 113 cases have been reported as per HPA.

In addition to diarrhoea and vomiting, the flu and common cold have also increased. Dr Ahmed Faisal said in a tweet yesterday that people have been getting sick more often and that the children’s ward of Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) has become full.

The tweet said further that a child that came from Ari Atoll “with a mosquito bite” is also receiving treatment in the Emergency Room of IGMH.

Doctor recommendations to prevent the common cold and diarrhoea include:

• Properly washing hands with soap before preparing and eating food
• Making sure food is cooked properly
• Washing fruits and vegetables before consumption and making sure the places that ffood is stored in are sanitary
• Keep food in closed containers
• Drinking lots of fluids

Diarrhoea and vomiting are most prevalent in the Male’ area. And most reports of this coming from the atolls is from ADh. Atoll.