Expert recommends consumption of clean water to prevent coronavirus

Wed, Apr 8, 2020
By publisher
3 MIN READ

Coronavirus Pandemic

Aminu Tanimu, a private medical practitioner in Kaduna, on Wednesday urged the people of Kaduna State to inculcate the habit of consuming clean water so as to prevent contracting coronavirus.

Tanimu made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

He called on the government to provide clean water for citizens, especially those living in the suburbs, to prevent them from the risk of contracting the coronavirus.

He said the provision of safe and hygienic water was essential in protecting human health during any infectious disease outbreak including the coronavirus pandemic.

Tanimu added that ensuring good and consistent waste management practices in communities, homes, schools, marketplaces and health care facilities would further help to prevent human-to-human transmission of the COVID -19 pandemic.

He noted that frequent and proper hand hygiene was the most critical measure that could be used to prevent infection by the virus.

“Many co-benefits will be realised by safely managing water and sanitation services and applying good hygiene practices. Such efforts will prevent many other infectious diseases, which cause millions of deaths each year.

“COVID-19 is an enveloped virus with a fragile outer membrane. Generally, enveloped viruses are less stable in the environment and are more susceptible to oxidants, such as chlorine.

“While there is no evidence to date about survival of the virus in water or sewage, the virus is likely to become inactivated significantly faster than non-enveloped human enteric viruses with known waterborne transmission.

“For example, one study found that a surrogate human coronavirus survived only two days in dechlorinated tap water and in hospital wastewater at 20° C.

“The COVID -19 virus has not been detected in drinking water supplies. Based on current evidence, the risk to water supplies is low,” he added.

Tanimu, however, said that laboratory studies of surrogate coronaviruses that took place in well-controlled environments indicated that the virus could remain infectious in water contaminated with faeces for days to weeks.

“A number of measures can be taken to improve water safety; protecting the source of water; treating water at the point of distribution, collection or consumption; and ensuring that treated water is safely stored at home in regularly clean and covered containers.

“Conventional and centralised water treatment methods that utilise filtration and disinfection should inactivate the COVID -19 virus. Other human coronaviruses have been shown to be sensitive to chlorination and disinfection with ultraviolet (UV) light.

“In places where centralised water treatment and safe piped water supplies are not available, boiling or using high-performing ultrafiltration or nanomembrane filters, solar irradiation and in non-turbid waters, UV irradiation and appropriately dosed free chlorine should be used,” he said. (NAN)

– Apr. 8, 2020 @ 12:12 GMT |

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