It's not over yet! After floods, Srinagar faces 'epidemic scare'

More and more patients with symptoms of skin irritation, chest infection and diarrhoea are thronging health centres in flood-ravaged Srinagar, with doctors saying they are already dealing with an epidemic outbreak.

"Initially we had patients who suffered from injuries and required first aid, but for the past two three days majority of the patients come to us with symptoms of irritation of skin, chest infection and diarrhoea.”

"We are already face to face with an epidemic outbreak, as the number of patients with similar symptoms is increasing with every passing day," said Dr Shabir Ahmed, who is helping out a medical camp in the Ram Bagh locality.

"Are we prepared to deal with this epidemic," asked Dr Shabir, "the answer is no e are not, as we don't have enough medicinal supplies here."

He said that though it's been at an initial stage, but the epidemic has already spread and they fear that it might slowly engulf the entire Srinagar city and eventually the entire Valley.

Ahmed said that every day more than 1,600 patients visit the medical camp and around 90 per cent of them come with similar symptoms that can be an "indication that an epidemic was already spreading its roots here".

Ahmed said that the symptoms like skin irritation, chest infection and diarrhoea were indication of an epidemic outbreak in the city.

The shortage of medicines in the city have added to the miseries of the residents as the doctors here say that if not treated in time, these symptoms can transform into “life threatening” conditions.

"These symptoms are a precursor of an epidemic outbreak and adding to the miseries of the people here is the fact that we are running short of life saving medicines," said Dr Touseef Dar, another physician at the camp.

The doctors say that infants and children were more vulnerable to these diseases, as their immune system was too weak to cope up the pathogens.

Health workers in the Srinagar say that the central government must immediately send a team of specialised doctors to the Valley to crush the outbreak before it starts taking human toll.

"We are not scaring people, but people need to take extra care of their infants and young kids as they are more vulnerable to these infections. If they notice any of these symptoms, they must immediately seek medical advice" Dr Mir said.

In various flood-hit localities across the city, the residents who survived last weeks ravaging floods were now abandoning their houses, as the fear an epidemic breakout looms large over the city.

As the water level continues to recede in various localities, the decomposing carcasses of dead animals that perished in the floodwater can be seen floating on the water.

The carcasses of around 400 cattle at the army's dairy farm at the Bemina crossing have forced many locals to abandon their houses.

"These are the breeding ground for diseases and so far nobody has removed them from here. These decomposing carcasses are emitting such a pungent odour that it has become difficult to breathe in here. So we decided to abandon our house and move to a relative's house," said Salim Ahmed.

The doctors say that if the carcasses were not disposed off immediately, it would result in another catastrophe.

"Do they want some people to die, before they wake up? The carcasses of thousands of animals including cattle, dogs, besides poultry are scattered everywhere and if not disposed off immediately and scientifically, people will suffer" said a doctor at medical camp in the Hyderpora locality.

Meanwhile, the officials at the department of health and family welfare have issued advisory to the flood-affected residents of Srinagar to save themselves from various life threatening diseases.