Sri Lanka - Hepatitis preys on poor families

The possibility of children and adults infected with viral Hepatitis spreading the disease to others without even being aware that they are suffering from the disease is very real, Epidemiology Unit’s consultant epidemiologist Dr. Risintha Premaratne said. According to Dr. Premaratne a patient exposed to the virus takes about a month to show symptoms of the disease and during that period the patient might unknowingly be instrumental in spreading the disease.

“Most affected are children. Even at schools, work places and the neighbourhood there may be people carrying the infection but showing no symptoms. By next week or the week the number of patients may well increase. So it is important to take all possible preventive methods immediately” he said.

Encouraging children to eat home-cooked food, keep cooked food covered, use soap to wash hands before and after meals and after use of the toilet, avoid eating exposed food, drink only boiled water (the virus may be present in pipe-borne and well water), keep toilets clean, avoid eating green leaves/leafy vegetables, maintain a house free of flies, avoid eating food from boutiques, disposing of all faeces even that of an infant, into a toilet, well-washed fruits and vegetables, a piece of soap should be sent to school encouraging children to wash their hands before and after using the toilet and before and after eating are some of the precautions that health officials advise everybody should adopt.

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