[Photo via VCG]
Beijing is currently experiencing heavy rainfall in some areas, which can lead to large puddles and localized flooding, bringing potential health and safety risks. Emergency department doctors have reminded the public that floodwaters contain a large number of harmful bacteria. If you have waded through floodwater, the very first thing to do after getting home is to wash yourself thoroughly!
"Try to avoid direct contact with stagnant or polluted water, walking through flooded areas, or retrieving items from floodwater with your bare hands," said He Mingyi, deputy director of the Emergency Department at Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University. Floodwater is a breeding ground for harmful microorganisms. In flooded areas, the water may contain decaying organic matter and animal remains. Combined with high summer temperatures, bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens can multiply rapidly.
The doctor advised people who must pass through flooded areas to wear waterproof boots, waterproof pants, and protective gloves to avoid direct skin contact with contaminated water. If you have any cuts or wounds, or develop symptoms such as fever after contact with floodwater, take immediate action: gently squeeze out any contaminated blood outward, from the side of the wound closest to the heart toward the side farther away from the heart; rinse the wound with clean running water, and disinfect it. Seek medical attention if necessary.
An emergency physician at the Emergency General Hospital also warned that walking barefoot through floodwater carries a risk of tetanus. Sharp objects such as broken glass, rusty nails, and tree branches may hide in floodwater, which can easily injure the soles of your feet. If such objects puncture the skin, tetanus bacteria may enter the body through the wound.
If you already have a wound on your foot or suffer a deep puncture injury from sharp objects in floodwater, do not ignore it. Go to a hospital as soon as possible and consult a doctor on whether a tetanus antitoxin injection is needed—it can be lifesaving in critical situations.
(Source: Beijing Fabu)