Inclement weather takes toll on health and daily life in northern Việt Nam

HÀ NỘI — Inclement weather in the North, including Hà Nội, has had a considerable impact on the well-being and daily routines of locals, and the rainy and humid conditions have proven challenging for residents in the region.

“Daily life is turned upside down by humid weather,” said Chu Thị Sâm, a 60-year-old woman living in Đống Đa District, Hà Nội.

People in the city face unpleasant weather phenomena such as wet houses, damp clothes with unpleasant odours, perishable electrical appliances and short circuits due to dampness.

Road users have difficulty in foggy conditions, slippery roads, and limited visibility.

Sâm said these days, her six-member family had to use a dryer to dry clothes for working and schooling.

"Because it is not sunny, clothes cannot be dried for many days," Sâm said. "They are always in a wet condition, with an unpleasant smell.”

"I don't dare to clean the house because when I finish cleaning, the floor cannot dry, and all activities in the house turn upside down.”

Minh Trí, living in Minh Khai Ward, Hai Bà Trưng District, complained that the weather was cloudy and drizzling, combined with high humidity, which has caused mould around his house's walls.

His family had two children under four, whose health are affected adversely by the high humidity.

“Wet living space also adversely affects family activities,” Trí said.

Many families have had to spend a sum of money to deal with this type of unpleasant weather promptly.

Quang Hiếu, residing at Trung Văn Ward, Nam Từ Liêm District, father of a one-year-old daughter, said that since early March, his family had spent nearly VNĐ100 million to buy more equipment, such as a washing machine with clothes dryer function, a clothes dryer, a dehumidifier, an air purifier.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, on the evening of April 14-15, the weather will change to showers and scattered thunderstorms.

This weather could last until the end of April 15, with the temperature increasing daily.

Impact on people's health

Humid weather not only caused inconvenience in daily life but also negatively affected people's health.

Vũ Linh Chi, a 34-year-old woman, said: "On humid days like this, my two children often have coughs and fevers. I also have to be off to take care of them."

High-humidity weather was favourable for bacteria and viruses to grow, making the body susceptible to illness and increasing the risk of respiratory infections (acute nasopharyngitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma).

“Diseases such as rotavirus, measles, chickenpox, and dermatitis are also contagious diseases and appear a lot at this time, and children with weakened immune systems are more vulnerable,” Chi said.

The city Department of Health reported in the first quarter of 2023, the city recorded 197 cases of dengue fever, 248 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease, and 800 cases of chickenpox.

Especially at some kindergartens and primary schools in the city, several clusters of chickenpox, hand, foot and mouth disease have been recorded.

Experts from the Department of Health said that the hot and humid weather is favourable conditions for diseases to develop, such as hand, foot and mouth disease, chickenpox, dengue fever, measles, and diarrhoea, and Japanese encephalitis.

In addition, dangerous diseases such as influenza A(H7N9), A(H5N6), and Marburg virus also have the potential for attack.

To prevent diseases in humid weather, people must maintain the habit of disinfecting houses and things, keeping their bodies warm, and keeping the living environment clean and dry.

“If anyone has signs of cough, fever, they should be taken to a doctor for appropriate treatment,” Doctor Nguyễn Quang Dương from Tuệ Tĩnh Hospital said.

Dương said to minimise the negative effects of humid weather on human health, it is necessary to maintain exercise and eat easy-to-digest foods. 

At the same time, it was possible to use dehumidifying equipment to keep the house dry. This will significantly reduce humidity in the house. — VNS

Source:https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1519106/inclement-weather-takes-toll-on-health-and-daily-life-in-northern-viet-nam.html