Disaster aftermath: The risk of epidemic diseases
Friday, May 16, 2008 - 15:56
in Health & Medicine
Natural disaster can kill hundreds of thousands of people a year. But the aftermath can keep on claiming lives. Outbreaks of infectious diseases following hurricanes, cyclones, tsunamis and earthquakes are not uncommon in the developing world. They are rare in developed countries. Most post-disaster disease is spawned by poor sanitation, a lack of safe drinking water and contaminated food.