Mumbai, June 11: As heavy rains continued to lash Mumbai with the onset of southwest monsoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday issued an advisory on leptospirosis, a bacterial disease. In its advisory, the BMC warned that cases of leptospirosis may spike in Mumbai due to due to heavy rain that lashed the city the previous day and the "very heavy" rain which has been predicted. Monsoon Dos and Don'ts: How to Stay Safe During Heavy Rains and Flooding in This Season.

Citizens have been advised to avoid waterlogged streets as a precautionary measure. Leptospirosis spreads through the urine of infected animals. Hence, walking through waterlogged roads may expose one to the disease. "Citizens have to walk through stagnant or flowing water during heavy rains. The same water may contain leptospirosis, a bacterium called leptospira," Dr Mangala Gomare, Executive Health Officer, was quoted by India Today as saying. Common Diseases During Monsoons: Precautions for Leptospirosis, Hepatitis + 6 Water-born Diseases For This Rainy Season.

What Is Leptospirosis?

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease which spreads by urine of rats, dogs, buffaloes and other animals. Their urine may contain leptospires, the bacteria that causes leptospirosis. Flooding or wading through a waterlogged street raises the risk of leptospirosis since the collected water may be contaminated with urine of infected animals.

Precautions:

Ideally, one should avoid wading in rainwater. But for any reason, if you have been exposed to collected water, take the following precautions at the earliest.

• Do not touch your face or mouth with before washing your hands.

• Discard wet clothes and shoes as soon as you reach home.

• Wash your hands and legs with antiseptic soap and soak your feet in an antiseptic solution for 10-15 minutes as soon as possible.

• Treat cuts and wounds with an antiseptic.

• Take a bath in warm water and wash yourself from head to toe.

• Powder hands and legs with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal talc containing clotrimazol.

Who Is Vulnerable?

A person who walks through stagnant rainwater only once and have no injuries on their feet or body parts that may have come in contact with rainwater is at low risk to getting infected with leptospirosis. Those who have wounds on their body parts that come in contact with rainwater fall in the moderate risk group. Individuals who come in contact with rainwater more than once or work in close contact with the stagnant water are the most vulnerable to leptospirosis.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 11, 2021 11:41 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).