25 August 2010
Infection control and prevention experts at Epsom, Sutton and St Helier hospitals are preparing for the possibility of treating local people who have recently returned from flood-hit Pakistan.
Heavy monsoon rains have caused serious flooding in many areas of the country, with over a thousand people reported killed and millions homeless.
Although the Foreign Office are advising against all travel to specific regions of Pakistan - and all but essential travel to other areas in the country - there are significant links between the UK and Pakistan, meaning that people may travel to assist their families and friends affected by the floods, as well as aid workers involved in the international relief effort.
Dr Sharon Chambers is a consultant microbiologist and the lead doctor responsible for the control and prevention of infections at the Trust. She said: "Hospitals across the country are currently on alert to watch out for diseases which we may not ordinarily expect to see in the UK.
"Infections that are prevalent in Pakistan, but which may be more widespread as a result of the flooding include: dysentery, cholera, hepatitis, rabies and dengue fever. There are also several diseases preventable with vaccination, which are likely to be less well controlled than in the UK, such as polio and diphtheria."
"Travellers returning from Pakistan who develop any fever or flu-like illness, even up to a year after returning, should seek medical attention in order to exclude malaria.
"If you have visited Pakistan and you have any health concerns, please do not hesitate to seek advice from your GP and remember to tell them of your travels. We would strongly urge anybody who has travelled to Pakistan recently and subsequently developed symptoms to seek medical assistance."
