When the rain came in Dec, so did water-borne diseases

Chennai: Water-borne diseases, mostly caused by contaminated water and food, peaked in the city in Dec, indicating poor sanitary conditions and water contamination. Experts say cases surged following water contamination triggered by incessant rain and cyclone Fengal.
The city, which reported 18 cholera cases between Jan and Nov 2024, saw 17 new cases in Dec, taking the total to 35. Besides Chennai, one cholera case was reported in Tiruvallur that month, bringing the state's total for the month to 18 — nearly a quarter of the year's tally of 70 cases. Data on deaths due to cholera was not released by the directorate of public health.
It wasn't just cholera; acute diarrheal disease (ADD) cases, which averaged 250 between Jan and Nov, rose to 526 in Dec — the highest, followed by 438 cases in June and 437 in July. Typhoid cases rose to 404 in Dec from an average of 300 cases a month.
Greater Chennai Corporation officials, including the chief health officer in charge of prevention and management of infectious diseases, did not respond to questions on why there was an increase in cases or whether cases decreased in Jan.
Doctors in the private sector said contaminated water sources with faecal matter and bacteria, including those that cause cholera, led to an increase in water-borne diseases. "This can happen when there is a flood or when water is stagnant," said infectious diseases expert Dr Subramanian Swaminathan. In 2024, the city recorded nearly 900 cases of hepatitis A and 35 cases of hepatitis E.
Hepatitis A and E are viral infections that inflame the liver. They cause symptoms such as fever, fatigue, nausea, and jaundice. Hepatitis E can be more severe, especially for pregnant women, doctors said.