Surat: Health check-up camps set up by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) in flood-affected areas have detected a large number of illness cases over the past three days, with nearly half of those examined requiring treatment.Since July 11, the camps have examined 3,950 residents, of whom 1,930 were diagnosed with various ailments and provided medicines, officials said.Skin infections emerged as the most common health concern, with 825 cases reported during the three-day period. Kamru Nagar in Limbayat recorded the highest number of dermatological complaints at 172, followed by Sanjay Nagar in Udhna (155) and Azad Nagar in Bhatar (147).Respiratory illnesses were also common, with 402 people reporting viral infections associated with cough and cold, while 357 patients were treated for fever. To rule out malaria, health teams collected 361 blood samples from fever patients for laboratory testing.The camps also detected several cases of gastrointestinal illness. As many as 264 people showed symptoms of diarrhoea, while 82 others were suffering from diarrhoea accompanied by vomiting. Fourteen patients were referred to health centres for further evaluation as a precaution.Alongside treatment, the civic health teams focused on preventive care. They distributed 2,020 multivitamin tablets and 3,988 packets of oral rehydration solution (ORS) to help residents recover and prevent dehydration.A senior health official said the camps will continue for a few more days as the risk of waterborne diseases remains high during the four-to-five-day incubation period following floods. “We want to cover the maximum number of residents in the affected areas and detect illnesses at an early stage,” the official said.Officials, however, said there has been no evidence so far of any outbreak or cluster of waterborne disease in any particular locality, despite the large number of patients reporting to the camps.boxDiamond workers seek flood reliefThe Diamond Worker Union Gujarat on Monday urged the state govt to provide immediate financial assistance to diamond workers affected by recent flooding in Surat. The union said inundation damaged homes and household belongings of workers in several diamond-processing localities. It demanded emergency compensation, relief supplies, speedy damage assessment and tax concessions for affected workers and their families.
