Health Book_03-Special Features_2011_web.pdf - Blue Cross

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XIBlue cross Health BOOKmake your water safePREVENTING WATER-BORNE DISEASESPreserve life! Make sure you’re using and drinking safe water!Promoting awareness and education about water-borne diseases and their prevention is a crucial step inimproving public health. This section discusses steps you can take in order to keep our water clean and safe.Prevention Tips• Maintain proper hygiene. Always wash your hands with soap and water afterusing the bathroom. Refrain from drinking from containers that belong to otherpeople.• Keep animals and fecal matter away from drinking water.PREVENTING WATER-BORNE DISEASES• If you are traveling and bottled water is not available, heat local waterto a rolling boil for at least three minutes.• Treat and disinfect water used for drinking, cooking and bathing. If you cannotheat the water or use a filter, you can also chemically treat the water usingchlorine or iodine.• Never drink water from unsafe sources such as shallow wells, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, springsor streams.• When eating out, check if your restaurant is serving treated and/or filtered ice and/orservice water. If not, order bottled water instead.• When in public or recreational water sources (e.g.swimming pools, beaches), avoid swallowingwater.Source: http://www.irc.nl (How to Promote Measures to Prevent Water-Borne Diseases)
Blue Cross Health BOOKXIIunderstanding a new influenza strain2009 H1N1 FLU AND YOUDetails below are from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, U.S.A.).Information is as of August 2009.What is 2009 H1N1?The 2009 H1N1 (referred to as, “swine flu” early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people.This new virus was first detected in the United States in April 2009. This virus is spreading from personto-personworldwide, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.On 11 June 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) signaled that a pandemic of 2009 H1N1 fluwas underway.Why is 2009 H1N1 virus sometimes called “swine flu”?This virus was originally referred to as “swine flu” because laboratory testing showed that many of thegenes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs (swine) in NorthAmerica. However, further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normallycirculates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europeand Asia and bird (avian) genes and human genes. Scientists call this a, “quadruple reassortant” virus.Is 2009 H1N1 virus contagious?CDC has determined that 2009 H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human.How does 2009 H1N1 virus spread?Spread of 2009 H1N1 virus is thought to occur in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu virusesare spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza.Sometimes people may become infected by touching something such as a surface or object with fluviruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?The symptoms of 2009 H1N1 flu virus in people include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose,body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected withthis virus have also reported diarrhea and vomiting. Severe illnesses and death have occurred as aresult of illness associated with this virus.How severe is illness associated with 2009 H1N1 flu virus?Illness with the 2009 H1N1 virus has ranged from mild to severe. While most people who have beensick have recovered without needing medical treatment, hospitalizations from infection with this virushave occurred.Who are at “high risk” with the 2009 H1N1 flu virus?In seasonal flu, certain people are at “high risk” of serious complications. This includes people 65 yearsand older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with certainchronic medical conditions. About 70% of people who have been hospitalized with the 2009 H1N1virus have had one or more medical conditions previously recognized as placing people at “high risk” ofserious seasonal flu-related complications. This includes pregnancy, diabetes, heart disease, asthmaand kidney disease.One thing that appears to be different from seasonal influenza is that adults older than 64 years old do notyet appear to be at increased risk of 2009 H1N1-related complications thus far. CDC laboratory studies2009 H1N1 FLU AND YOU
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