Wazzup Pilipinas!
As the weather temperature continues to rise, the 6S or six illnesses of summer are not far behind.
Diarrhea and vomiting, sore eyes or conjunctivitis, sunburn, skin diseases, cough and colds, and rabies are the six common ailments that Filipinos must watch out for in the next two-to-three months.
With lots of people heading to the beach or the swimming pool, they may accidentally drink water that is infected with the E.Coli bacteria which comes from fecal matter that contaminates the water source, thus, causing nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Poorly chlorinated swimming pools may also cause sore eyes or conjunctivitis when the virus enters through the eyes.
Such prolonged exposure to the sun without proper protection against the harmful Ultraviolet rays may, likewise, cause sunburn – that painful, itchy, irritated patch of skin that often peels off. When combined with dehydration, overexposure may lead to heat stroke.
Summer also causes skin diseases to come out such as the tan, scaly patches caused by yeast infection which thrives in moist parts of the skin; infected bug bites and contact dermatitis while camping and hiking; and whitish, translucent bumps called molluscum which thrives in under-chlorinated water, among others.
Cough and colds, while may cause discomfort anytime of the year, tend to linger in the summer while the number of dog bites also increases as dogs become irritable due to the heat and children spend more time playing outdoors.