Kathmandu. Monsoon season is a challenging time for health. With the onset of monsoon in Kathmandu Valley, drinking water sources have started getting contaminated. As the number of insects and snakes has increased, hospitals have also started getting overwhelmed with patients. In particular, the emergency room of the Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Diseases Hospital (TEKU) has started to fill up with patients suffering from diarrhea, fever, colds, and snakebites. According to the hospital’s chief consultant, Dr. Bimal Chalise, the number of such patients has increased significantly in the last week. “Most of the patients admitted to the hospital now have diarrhea, fever, and snakebites,” he said. “Some patients arrive at the emergency room in a very critical condition, unconscious.”
According to hospital statistics, an average of 12 to 15 patients with diarrhea, about 25 with fever and cough, and 10 to 12 with snakebite come for treatment daily. These patients come from Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur, as well as neighboring districts outside the valley.
Contaminated water and food increase diarrhea
Dr. Chalise says that the main reason for the spread of diarrhea during the rainy season is contaminated water and food. According to him, when rainwater mixes with sewage in drinking water sources, wells, and pipelines, the water becomes contaminated with harmful bacteria like ‘coliform’. Using this contaminated water for cooking, washing dishes, or drinking directly increases the risk of diarrhea. He said that although it is speculated that vegetables and fruits with excessive pesticide use may have increased stomach problems, this has yet to be proven. Contaminated water and food increase diarrhea.
“Currently, patients coming to the hospital have common symptoms of stomach pain and loose stools,” Dr. Chalise said. “The cause of this is bacterial infection or food poisoning.” He said that the infection can also be spread by eating unwashed fruits and vegetables available in the market. He says that although it is suspected that vegetables and fruits with excessive pesticide use may have increased stomach problems, this has yet to be proven. Stale, rotten, and moldy foods have also helped increase the incidence of diarrhea.
Snakebite patients also started increasing
Along with the monsoon, the risk of snakebite has also increased. Snakebite patients have come to Teku Hospital for treatment not only from the Kathmandu Valley but also from hilly districts like Dhading, Gorkha, Nuwakot and Kavre. According to Dr. Chalise, most of the patients currently undergoing treatment have been bitten by the green-colored ‘pit viper’ snake found in the mountainous regions. The venom of this snake can cause serious health problems such as thinning the blood and bleeding from various parts of the body. “After a snakebite, symptoms include swelling of the bitten area, drooping eyelids, bleeding from the nose, gums, or urine, and a stiff neck,” he said.
He says that although patients bitten by the poisonous snakes ‘cobra’ and ‘kareet’ found in the Terai have not been admitted to the hospital so far this year, there is no reason to be worried. “With the increase in temperature, the habitat of snakes may change, so it cannot be said that such snakes are not seen in the hilly areas,” he warned.

He urges people to reach the nearest health facility immediately without resorting to any home remedies or herbal remedies if they are bitten by a snake.
How to avoid it?
According to Dr. Chalise, these health problems that occur during the rainy season can be avoided by taking some simple precautions:

Drink pure water: Drinking water should always be boiled for at least one minute, filtered, or treated with chlorine solution.
Food hygiene: Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing food, eating, and after using the toilet. Do not eat stale, rotten, or food that has been left in the open.
Precautions in raw food: Fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly before eating. It is best to avoid eating raw salads during this season.

Personal hygiene: Pay attention to personal hygiene and keep the environment around the house clean.
Go to a health facility immediately: If you have loose stools more than twice a day, feel weak, or have difficulty breathing along with a fever, you should go to a health facility immediately. Drink plenty of fluids such as water or other liquids to prevent dehydration during diarrhea.