Hyderabad: The Health department on Friday issued an advisory in the wake of the forecast of heavy rains for the next seven days by the IMD. The officials have urged the citizens to take precautions against seasonal illness.

The Director of Public Health Dr B Ravinder Nayak said that as IMD-Hyderabad has issued warning alert of heavy rainfall for next seven days across Telangana with lower temperature and higher humidity, which may lead to seasonal illnesses, especially vector, water and air borne diseases. To guard against these, the DPH has issued a few tips to stay healthy during this season battling the mosquito menace to fight Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya.

The officials have advised citizens to follow instructions like doors and windows are to be secured with mosquito nets / screens, beds and cribs are to be covered with mosquito nets, use Mosquito repellents as precaution, maintain domestic drains to prevent water stagnation, domestic septic tanks should be covered with a mesh to prevent mosquito breeding, observance of “Friday- Dry Day” every week to get rid of stagnant water around your house. Prevent Water borne infections- Acute Gastroenteritis, Jaundice and Typhoid, drink filtered / boiled water, wash hands, especially before and after meals, avoid eating outside stale food Guard against Airborne infections, viral fevers and influenza.

The officials have advised people to avoid shaking hands, with someone who is sick, or when they are sick, use hand sanitizers often to avoid being infected, use hand -kerchief when you sneeze or cough, if any person develops flu like symptoms including cough with fever, headache, sore throat and associated body pains, please go to nearby Government Health facilities.