One of the main Brazilian tourist destinations, the city of Florianópolis faces, this summer season, an outbreak of diarrhea of unknown origin. According to the Municipal Health Department, in recent days, 738 people were treated in the public network with intestinal disarrangement.
In most cases, patients had mild, non-serious symptoms, such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea – characterized by an increased number of bowel movements and the elimination of soft or liquid stools.
The northern region of the capital of Santa Catarina concentrates the highest number (558) of cases, but the Emergency Care Unit (UPA) in the south of the island, located in Campeche, also treated 180 people with the same complaints.
According to the municipal secretary, the agent causing the sudden outbreak is still unknown and the registered cases are being analyzed in search of a possible link that points to the origin of the malaise.
According to the Ministry of Health, episodes of intestinal disarrangement are usually caused by microorganisms harmful to health (bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa) present in water or in contaminated food ingested by people.
Although, in most cases, it does not pose a major threat, diarrhea can cause dehydration, leading to death in more severe cases. Hence the importance of those who present the symptoms to ingest liquids (water, saline solution, soups and juices) in order to stay hydrated and try to eat properly.
The Municipal Secretary of Health of Florianópolis also guides residents and visitors to the island to be very careful with their diet, always checking the origin of the food and drinks they ingest, as well as the storage/conditioning conditions of the same and to avoid excessive exposure to the sun and heat and polluted waters.
