Department of Health, Taipei City Government

The Department of Health, Taipei City Government recommends paying extra attention to drinking water sanitation after flooding. Drinking water should be completely boiled or drink bottled water and food should be fully cooked. Hands should be properly cleaned before eating or drinking. Chen, Shao-Ching, Director of Division of Disease Control and Prevention, stressed personal protection should be done to avoid skin injuries causing wound infections when people clean up their homes and following three steps of disease prevention, namely, “Remove, Clean, and Sanitize” for better and hygienic environment.

During cleaning living environment, personal protection should be equipped such as waterproof gloves, surgical mask, gumboots or waterproof boots. After cleaning is completed, hand washing with water and soap. Skin wound should be treated as soon as possible to disinfect and wrap the wound to avoid infection by sewage or sludge.

If the reservoir is flooded, it should be cleaned and disinfected to store the water before it can be consumed. The food should be cooked thoroughly, do not eat mold or the abnormal appearance food. All expiry date of food should be checked before use and disinfection of household environment.

Developing a good habit of maintaining the cleanness of both indoor and outdoor areas of your house through “check, pour, clean, wash” of water containers after flooding is essential. All containers such as tires, cans, bottles and pots should place upside down and clean inside out to eliminate breading ground of mosquito vector.

The Department of Health reminds all citizen to remove water from containers after flooding and ensure food and environment sanitation along with personal hygiene. If you have any symptoms, please seek medical attention as soon as possible in order to stay away from the threat of infectious diseases. If you have any questions about disease prevention, please call the disease prevention dedicated line 02-23753782 or Taipei Citizen Hotline 1999.