What to watch for
Rain fills coolers, pots and puddles, and mosquitoes breed in them. Heavy rain and flooding put drinking water and food at risk, and flood water can carry germs from animal urine. Wet shoes and clothes keep skin damp, which fungal skin infections like. Snakes come out of hiding. That is why the monsoon, and the weeks after it, bring dengue, malaria, typhoid, leptospirosis, skin infections and snake bites.
Water and food
Do
- Drink water you know is safe. If you are not sure, boil it. The guide on safe drinking water and food has the full steps.
- Eat food that is freshly cooked and served hot.
- Wash fruit and vegetables well, and peel them where you can.
- Wash your hands with soap before cooking and eating, and after using the toilet.
- Drink only boiled or pasteurised milk.
Do not
- Do not drink water you are unsure of without boiling it, and avoid ice unless it was made from safe water.
- Do not prepare food for others if you have diarrhoea or typhoid.
Mosquitoes
Dengue mosquitoes breed in water that collects in containers in and around homes, such as desert coolers, tanks, old tyres, coconut shells and discarded cups, and their numbers rise in the monsoon. Empty and cover anything that holds water, wear clothes that cover your arms and legs, and use a repellent or a net. The guide on preventing mosquito bites has the full advice.
Flood water, wet feet and skin
Flood water and standing water can carry germs, including the bacteria that cause leptospirosis, which spread through the urine of rats and other animals. Keep out of flood water and standing water where you can, and do not swim in fresh water.
If you must wade or work in it, wear boots and gloves, and wash your hands and skin with soap and clean water afterwards. Keep your home clean and seal gaps and holes where rats can get in.
To protect your skin, change out of wet clothes and shoes as soon as you can, and dry your skin well, including between the toes. Change your socks and underwear every day, and do not share towels or socks.
See a doctor for an itchy rash that spreads or does not clear. Do not put steroid cream on it. If the rash is a fungal infection, steroid cream can make it worse.
Snakes
Snakes are driven out of their hiding places by rain and floods, so bites are commoner in the rainy season. Most bites can be avoided:
- Use a torch when you walk outside at night, and wear shoes or boots. Check your footwear before you put it on.
- Do not put a hand or foot into holes, or into places you cannot see, such as piles of wood or rubbish.
- Try not to sleep on the ground. A cot with a mosquito net tucked in well also keeps out snakes and mosquitoes.
- Clear rubbish, building material and bushes from around the house.
- Leave a snake alone. Do not try to catch or kill it, and do not touch one that looks dead.
Fever in the monsoon
Dengue, malaria, chikungunya, typhoid and leptospirosis all begin with fever, headache, body ache and weakness. They look alike, and a person can have more than one at the same time. Only a test can tell them apart, and some need treatment quickly.
So do not wait it out at home. See a doctor for a fever during the monsoon and the weeks after it, and say if you waded through flood water, were bitten by mosquitoes, or ate outside. Rest, and drink plenty of fluids, such as ORS or coconut water. Paracetamol is the usual choice for the fever. Avoid aspirin and ibuprofen-type painkillers unless a doctor says so, because they can increase bleeding if the fever is dengue.
A against typhoid is available. Ask your doctor whether you or your child should have it.
Myths and facts
Things people often say about this. Open each one to see what is true.
Myth“A fever in the monsoon is just a viral fever and will settle by itself.”What is true?
Fact
Dengue, malaria, typhoid and leptospirosis all begin like an ordinary fever, and some need treatment quickly. Only a test can tell them apart, so a fever needs a doctor's review.
Myth“Any cream from a medical shop will clear a monsoon skin rash.”What is true?
Fact
Steroid creams can make a fungal skin infection worse. Get the rash checked so that you are given the right treatment.
Myth“For a snake bite, cut the wound, suck out the poison or tie a tight band above it.”What is true?
Fact
Cutting, sucking, rubbing in herbs and tight bands do no good and can do harm. Keep the person calm and still, and get them to hospital at once, where the treatment is given.
Common questions
Is tap water safe to drink during the monsoon?
Not always. If you are not sure the water is safe, boil it before you drink it. Boiling kills the germs that cause typhoid and diarrhoea. The guide on safe drinking water and food explains how.
Is it safe to walk through flooded streets?
Avoid it where you can, because flood water may carry germs, including leptospirosis from animal urine. If you have to, wear boots, wash your skin and hands with soap and clean water afterwards, and tell a doctor about it if you get a fever.
Can I treat a monsoon fever at home?
Rest, fluids and paracetamol can ease the fever, but they do not tell you what is causing it. See a doctor, because a test is the only way to tell dengue, malaria, typhoid and leptospirosis apart. Go to hospital at once if any warning sign appears.
Is there a vaccine against typhoid?
Yes. WHO notes that typhoid conjugate vaccines are given as a single injection to children from 6 months of age and to adults. Ask your doctor whether you or your child should have one. A vaccine does not replace safe water, safe food and hand washing.