For many women and children around the world, staying at home is no longer a safety aspect during the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a surge in the number of cases of inter-personal violence and child abuse during the lockdown. The stigma and socio-cultural norms create hesitance in subjecting the family and its intimate relationships to public scrutiny. Therefore, building awareness around domestic violence is vital.
Background:
Leptospirosis is emerging as one of the growing public health problems in many parts of India. It can occur in both rural and urban areas with varied risk factors. This study was taken up in three districts of Maharashtra namely—Mumbai, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg to understand the determinants of leptospirosis in both the urban and rural areas and look for differences if any.
Materials and Methods:
This cross-sectional study was carried out during the year 2017. A pretested validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Field observations were made. Eighty-seven cases from Sindhudurg and 14 from Ratnagiri and 307 cases from Mumbai were included in the study.
Results:
A total of 408 cases were included in the study. A total of 63 (62.4%) were males and 38 (37.6%) were females. Most cases belonged to the 20–35 year age group (37%). In rural areas, 32.7% of them visited government facilities first, whereas, in the urban areas, it was 73.9% (
P
= 0.006). Headache, myalgia, and prostration were more common in cases from rural areas (
P
= <0.05). Skin rash was found to be associated with urban cases of leptospirosis. The presence of rodents, cattle sheds, pets, and working in paddy fields were common environmental risks in rural areas, and using water for recreational activities were common in urban areas (
P
< 0.001).
Conclusions:
Context-specific risk factors were found significantly associated with the cases. No important difference was found in the epidemiology of leptospirosis in the urban and rural areas except the source of infection.
COVID-19 has placed an overwhelming burden on health care systems and authorities. In the absence of a vaccine or definitive treatment, widespread social and behavioral changes are critical in mitigating the impact. These are highly influenced by risk perception by the public, protective and preparedness behaviors, and effective communication. Here we have highlighted some of the commonly seen human behaviors during a pandemic crisis.
World immunisation week is observed every year in the last week of 24th April to 30th April. Many parts of the world are still reeling under the threats of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) and the importance of vaccination cannot be understated even in times of any other crisis. Worldwide, millions of children are saved from the grip of infectious diseases like polio and measles, and annually, around 2 to 3 million deaths are being averted. Routine immunization services, mass vaccination campaigns, catch up, and mop up sessions through outreach activities form part of the vaccine delivery strategies.
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