DOH: Food poisoning, summer diseases worse than acid rain

Food poisoning, heatstroke and seasonal diseases such as measles and chickenpox loom as bigger threats than acid rains during hot summer days. Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral on Thursday said this as she allayed fears hot weather might spark acid rains. "Ang acid rain di yan nakakasama sa katawan ng tao in general, yan nakakasama sa environment natin (Acid rain is harmful to the environment but it is not that harmful to the human body as many of us think)," Cabral said in an interview on dwIZ radio. She said people must take regular baths and keep clean to avert possible harm from acid rain. But she said the bigger threats during the summer still include food poisoning and heat stroke, as well as the seasonal diseases. "Pag masyadong mainit nasisira ang pagkain, maaring magkaroon ng food poisoning dahil (sa) bacteria (If the weather is hot food can spoil easily due to bacteria, so there is the risk of food poisoning)," she said. Cabral also advised the public to take precautions against measles and chickenpox, although she said these are not connected to the hot weather. She said that while people can take vaccines against measles, there is no vaccine for chickenpox. She advised people to stay away from those already with the disease. — LBG,GMANews.TV