Pattaya officials joined their neighbors in sounding the alarm over stomach flu and food poisoning following “critical” numbers of acute diarrhea cases.
Anya Jatarakard, a nurse with the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Division at the Pattaya Public Health Office, said Jan. 25 that 985,544 cases of acute diarrhea were reported to the Bureau of Epidemiology in 2017 and 2018 shows no signs of that dropping.
Most worrisome was how 23 percent of the cases affected children under age 5, with three fatalities.
Acute diarrhea mostly is caused by the rotavirus, the contagious bug that can cause gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Symptoms include severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain and dehydration.
Nongprue officials sounded the same warning on Jan. 22 to the sub-district’s elderly and child population, which are most at risk.
Anya stressed the need to always wash hands after using the toilet, fully cook food and keep eating utensils, baby bottles and toys clean.
Germ-infected toys also are to blame for hand, foot and mouth disease in children. Anya said toys should be sterilized regularly and bottles washed and steam cleaned.
Anyone suffering stomach flu – for which there is no cure – should consume electrolyte drinks to prevent dehydration. Food poisoning, which also shows up as acute diarrhea, can be cured with antibiotics.
