Data: What is the status of Water-borne diseases in India? (2024)

FAQs

What is the status on water-borne diseases in India? ›

It is estimated that around 37.7 million Indians are affected by waterborne diseases annually; 1.5 million children are estimated to die of diarrhoea alone and 73 million working days are lost due to waterborne disease each year [9].

Waterborne illness is caused by recreational or drinking water contaminated by disease-causing microbes or pathogens. Of note, many waterborne pathogens can also be acquired by consuming contaminated food or beverages, from contact with animals or their environment, or through person-to-person spread.

The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of diseases worldwide are waterborne.

The names of two water-borne diseases are cholera and typhoid.

Diseases which spread through contaminated water are called water-borne diseases. E.g., cholera, dysentery, etc. Cancer is caused due to abnormal growth of cells and is a non-communicable disease. Common cold and corona virus spread through air.

The country has 18 percent of the world's population, but only 4 percent of its water resources, making it among the most water-stressed in the world.

Hence, a major cause of water-borne diseases in India is the pollution of water. Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi bacteria transmitted via contaminated water. The patients typically suffer from prolonged episodes of fever, loss of appetite, nausea, headache, constipation, and loss of body weight.

Diarrhea. The most common of all water-borne diseases, diarrhea, mainly affects children below five years of age. The symptoms include dizziness, dehydration, pale skin, and loss of consciousness in severe cases.

Why are water-borne diseases a problem? ›

Flooding can overwhelm sewage treatment facilities causing bacteria like Legionella and Escherichia coli (E. coli) to grow and develop in stagnant water, such as in unused pipes. Exposure to contaminated water can lead to adverse health effects from waterborne illnesses.

The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of diseases worldwide are waterborne.

Most healthy people exposed to water that contains these germs do not get sick. However, there are certain groups of people who are more at risk for illness, such as individuals who are older than 50, are current or former smokers, have an underlying lung condition or a weakened immune system.

About 7.2 million Americans get sick every year from diseases spread through water.

Food and water borne illness, often referred to as food poisoning, is generally caused by eating or drinking food or beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites or viruses.

Typhoid Fever

It's spread through contaminated food, unsafe water, and poor sanitation, and it is highly contagious. Symptoms include: A fever that increases gradually. Muscle aches.

Some waterborne pathogenic microorganisms spread by water can cause severe, life-threatening diseases. Examples are typhoid fever, cholera and Hepatitis A or E.

Common waterborne illnesses include typhoid, cholera, dysentery, gastroenteritis, and hepatitis.

What are the 10 diseases caused by water pollution? ›

We do not recommend ever drinking tap water in India, as it's just not worth the risk (or the stomach cramps). India is notorious among travelers for sickness – we've all heard horror stories about Delhi belly – and waterborne diseases are common due to bacterial contamination in public water, including E.

Although India has 16 per cent of the world's population, the country possesses only four per cent of the world's freshwater resources. India is water-stressed due to changing weather patterns and repeated droughts.

Detailed Solution. The correct answer is The Indira Sagar. Indira Sagar Dam reservoirs is the largest reservoir in India in terms of water storage capacity with capacity of 12.22 billion cubic metres. It is located in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.

Less than 50 per cent of the population in India has access to safely managed drinking water. Chemical contamination of water, mainly through fluoride and arsenic, is present in 1.96 million dwellings.

There are various kinds of pollution but water pollution is a major concern as it is directly related to the health and wealth of the nation. Further, agricultural waste, unthreatened sewage, solid untreated waste, and small scale industries are major causes of water pollution.

According to an assessment commissioned by the United Nations, 4,000 children die each day as a result of diseases caused by ingestion of filthy water. The report says four out of every 10 people in the world, particularly those in Africa and Asia, do not have clean water to drink.

Water borne diseases including cholera, Dracunculiasis, Typhoid fever, Diarrhea, Ulcers, Hepatitis, Arsenicosis, Respiratory Tract Infection, Kidney Damage, and Endocrine Damages are very risky for lives of individuals and especially for humans ultimately leading to death.

Waterborne diseases are conditions (meaning adverse effects on human health, such as death, disability, illness or disorders) caused by pathogenic micro-organisms that are transmitted in water. These diseases can be spread while bathing, washing, drinking water, or by eating food exposed to contaminated water.

What is the main issue with water? ›

Agriculture consumes more water than any other source and wastes much of that through inefficiencies. Climate change is altering patterns of weather and water around the world, causing shortages and droughts in some areas and floods in others. At the current consumption rate, this situation will only get worse.

Microbiologically contaminated drinking water can transmit diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio and is estimated to cause 485 000 diarrhoeal deaths each year.

While developed nations have made significant progress in water treatment systems to address viruses and pathogens contaminations in water and wastewater, the majority of people have access to improved drinking water, thereby averting waterborne related diseases.

Final answer: Asthma is not a waterborne disease.

Child health: With unsafe water, there is serious concern for children, especially those under the age of three. They tend to spend more time playing in areas with high risk of contamination. Their small body size makes them more susceptible to diarrhea-related dehydration (which can be deadly).

Water-borne diseases: infections spread through contaminated drinking water (Diarrhoeal Diseases, Typhoid Fever) Water-washed diseases: diseases due to the lack of proper sanitation and hygiene (Ascariasis =roundworm infection, Ancylostomiasis (=hookworm infection)

1. Boil drinking water. 2. Maintain good hygiene by washing the hands with soap and clean water before meals and after visiting the toilet.

In terms of treatment, most people recover from waterborne diseases on their own and only require supportive care. Some people may require antibiotics or other treatment depending on the type of pathogen or contaminant in the water and their ability to fight infections.

Clean water and sanitation is the key to preventing waterborne diseases.

The presence of certain contaminants in our water can lead to health issues, including gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems may be especially at risk for illness.

How can the quality of the water be improved? ›

Provide home water-treatment capability through the use of filters, solar disinfection, or flocculants, to make drinking water safe. Promote low-cost solutions, such as chlorine tablets or plastic bottles that can be exposed to sunlight, to improve water quality.

Water-washed diseases, such as skin and eye infections, are caused by lack of clean water for washing. • Water-based diseases, such as schistosomiasis, are spread by organisms that develop in water (intermediate hosts) and then become human parasites (skin penetration, ingestion).

Cholera outbreaks are relatively frequent in India. Surveillance data reveal a steady increase in reported cholera outbreaks throughout the country. From 1997 to 2006, 68 outbreaks were reported [8], while the reported outbreaks rose to 559 between 2009 and 2017 [9].

Seven cholera pandemics have occurred in the past 200 years, with the first pandemic originating in India in 1817. The seventh cholera pandemic is officially a current pandemic and has been ongoing since 1961, according to a World Health Organization factsheet in March 2022.

Rajasthan has suffered water shortage majorly due to less rivers and less rainfall. Q. Which state in India has suffered water shortage majorly due to less rivers and less rainfall?

Cholera is endemic in approximately 50 countries, primarily in Africa and South and Southeast Asia, and in these areas, it remains a disease associated with poverty. In developed nations, cholera is rare, and cases are typically imported from endemic areas by returning travellers.

Yellow fever.

It's not a major concern for people traveling in India. You may not need to get the vaccine before you go. But it's important to know that when you get to India you may be asked to show proof of yellow fever vaccination if you visited a country with risk of yellow fever before your arrival in India.

Dukoral® is mainly used for travellers. Two doses of Dukoral® provide protection against cholera for 2 years. Shanchol™ and Euvichol® are essentially the same vaccine produced by two different manufacturers.

The most common of all water-borne diseases, diarrhea, mainly affects children below five years of age.

During the 19th century, cholera spread across the world from its original reservoir in the Ganges delta in India. Six subsequent pandemics killed millions of people across all continents. The current (seventh) pandemic started in South Asia in 1961, reached Africa in 1971 and the Americas in 1991.

How did cholera start in India? ›

The first cholera pandemic emerged out of the Ganges Delta with an outbreak in Jessore, India, in 1817, stemming from contaminated rice. The disease quickly spread throughout most of India, modern-day Myanmar, and modern-day Sri Lanka by traveling along trade routes established by Europeans.

During a 10-yr study period, the States having the highest number of reported cholera outbreaks were West Bengal, Odisha, Maharashtra and Kerala, which together accounted for 60 per cent of all reported outbreaks.

Employing agricultural practices such as planting crops that require less water, setting up irrigation systems without leakages, and developing farm-based water conservation structures is very important. This can aid in the protection of forests and development of horticulture.

Facts and Figures. As per Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog in August 2021, 1^st in India the annual available water after evapotranspiration is 1999 billion cubic metres (bcm), of which the utilizable water potential is estimated at 1122 bcm.