KUALA LUMPUR: This writer visited several public places recently and found many people ‘cooling off’ in light of the current dry spell.
The premises included several hypermarkets, department stores and a hospital apart from several eateries.
However, to his dismay, this writer observed that there are still many Malaysians who simply sneeze and cough without covering their noses and mouths even when there are other people close by.
“Maybe some do not display good manners in public places,” a bystander was heard to comment.
“It appears that these people do not bother or realise that they can spread infectious respiratory diseases through droplet infection,” he said.
The bystander added, “These people have forgotten the SARS and Avian Flu episodes.”
SARS
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS is a viral respiratory disease that spreads quickly among humans.
Between November 2002 and July 2003, an outbreak of SARS in South China and then Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,273 cases and 775 deaths worldwide.
Within weeks, SARS spread from Hong Kong, infecting individuals in 37 countries in early 2003, including Malaysia where the first fatal SARS-related case was reported on April 5, 2003.
According to WHO, SARS has not been eradicated, unlike smallpox; it may still be present in natural host reservoirs (animal populations) and may return to the human population.
H1N1 Flu
In April 2009, a new strain of H1N1 swine flu emerged with a combination of swine, avian, and human influenza viruses.
According to health authorities, in the past, swine flu had mainly affected people who were in contact with pigs.
The new virus is unusual because it spreads among people who have not had any contact with pigs.
H1N1 swine flu, which was first observed in Mexico, has crossed borders and oceans, spreading to different countries and continents.
Swine flu is contagious and health officials believe it spreads in the same way as seasonal flu.
When an individual who is infected with swine flu coughs or sneezes, he/she releases tiny droplets containing the virus into the air.
Anyone who comes into contact with these droplets or touches surfaces (such as doorknobs or sinks) that an infected person had recently touched can contract the H1N1 swine flu.
Swine flu is contagious and can spread from one person to the next quickly.
It can spread in one day, and during this time, symptoms may not be visible.
It can also spread in seven days after a person becomes ill. Swine flu can be contagious in children for as long as 10 days.
To prevent an infection, it is important to understand how it is spreads.
Infections
According to health authorities, infections are caused by bacteria, viruses and other microscopic organisms.
These germs are found in the environment such as water, soil and air and in and on humans, body secretions and tiny droplets that are generated when a person breathes, coughs or sneezes.
Infections spread through different means and one of them is through droplets.
Infection Control Nursing Officer of a hospital here, S T Lim, said germs that cause colds and throat infections are found in a person’s saliva and nasal secretions.
She said when people cough, sneeze, have runny noses or do anything that generates droplets of secretions from the respiratory tract, germs can spread.
The germs can then be inhaled, or they may land in a person’s eyes, nose or mouth.
Germs can spread indirectly too because some viruses can survive in the atmosphere and environment for several days.
As respiratory viruses can be found in a child’s nose and throat for several days before he/she show signs of an illness, it is important to follow good infection control practices every time.
Personal Hygiene
Lim said if a person does not practise good personal hygiene, his/her stool may contaminate hands, food, water and surrounding objects and surfaces.
“Intestinal infections can spread quickly and easily because some germs can survive on surfaces and objects for long periods of time. One should abide by proper techniques of washing hands to prevent the spread of intestinal infections,” she added.
According to Lim, the skin acts as an excellent barrier, preventing germs from entering the bloodstream.
“Several infections may spread by direct contact with blood if there is a cut in the skin (blood to blood) or direct contact with mucous
membranes (i.e. eye and mouth).
“Only a small amount of blood or body fluids can cause infections; so, whenever blood or bloody body fluids are noticed, exposed objects should be disinfected with the use of gloves and proper cleaning agents,” she explained.
Direct Physical Contact
According to medical authorities, infections, particularly skin infections such as impetigo and ringworm, are spread through direct physical contact.
Infections can spread when children play together and one child touches the infected skin area of another child.
Contaminated items such as toys, towels, food and water can also cause infections to spread among people.
It is important that all objects are properly cleaned and sanitised and food and water are obtained from approved sources.
This issue occurs in nurseries and kindergartens where many children are in contact with one another.
Meanwhile, droplet transmission refers to large droplets generated from the respiratory tract of the source patient during coughing, sneezing and talking.
These droplets travel a short distance, about less than 2 metres through the air, and are
deposited on the mucosa of the eyes, nose and mouth of a potential host. — Bernama