Beware of tainted food

14 November 2010 08:30 am Views - 3907

By Yohan Perera

The Colombo Epidemiologist Unit today warned the public to be vigilant when purchasing herbs and frozen food items as they might be contaminated due to the recent floods.

Head of the Colombo Epidemiologist Unit Dr. Sugath Peiris told Daily Mirror that the public should be careful when purchasing herbs as there was a possibility that the these items would have got contaminated as a result of the polluted water which may have even contained excreta flowing towards the plantations.
 
Further he stated that the public should be careful when purchasing items such as ice cream and chicken from the shops which were submerged during the floods as they too may have come to contact with the flood water.

“Three teams led by Directors of Health Ministry have been deployed to inspect these food items and destroy any contaminated food. These teams will also monitor the spread of any communicable diseases such as Cholera and Dengue”, Dr. Peries said

Meanwhile the Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is also keeping a watchful eye on the situation.