Expert for maximum caution while drinking water to check Hepatitis-E

“A good number of outbreaks of Hepatitis E virus was seen last year in Chattogram, causing a couple of deaths as well,” Professor Khan told BSS.He further said, water pollution hit its peak in at this time in the urban areas and people too tend to drink unsafe water and lemonades and different
types of juices because of the intense heat.

“Hepatitis E is the main reason behind Jaundice in our country and it’s a waterborne virus. Water lines get polluted from the sewerage lines in the
urban areas during the rainy season,” Professor Khan added.

“The disease is common in resource-limited countries with limited access to essential water, sanitation, hygiene and health services. In these areas, the disease occurs both as outbreaks and as sporadic cases,” BIRDEM Hospital associate professor Dr Gholam Azam said.

The outbreaks usually follow periods of faecal contamination of drinking water supplies and may affect several hundred to several thousand persons, he said.

The experts gave city dwellers six advices to remain safe, those are- boiling water for 30 minutes, avoiding having stale foods, avoiding having foods or drinks made under open sky, washing hands before having food and coming out of toilet, cleaning water tank of the house after every four
months and consulting doctor if eyes become yellow.