ISPA Case Spreads After The Padang Bandang Flood, Health Office: Due To Drowning Mud Dust

Residents are at one of the refugee points in Padang Panjang City, West Sumatra, Saturday (29/11/2025). BETWEEN/Muhammad Zulfikar

The Padang City Health Office (Dinkes) in West Sumatra (West Sumatra) found a trend of increasing cases of Acute Respiratory Channel Infection (ISPA) and skin diseases in locations affected by hydrometeorological disasters in the area.

"When we visited a number of disaster posts in the field every day, it was known that the current trend of disease was ISPA," said Head of the Padang Health Office, Srikurnia Yati in Padang, Thursday, as quoted by Antara.

Srikurnia said the increase in the trend of ARI disease among the community, especially in victims affected by disasters due to extreme weather, and decreased endurance.

"In addition, it is also caused by the large amount of dust in the environment due to dry mud. Therefore, residents must continue to wear masks at the disaster site," he said.

In order for ISPA not to spread, the Padang City Health Office continues to provide education by inviting affected residents to consume as much water as possible.

At the evacuation site, residents get bottled mineral water. This is actually good because it is in accordance with healthy drinking water standards, but on the other hand, the quantity of consumption is less when compared to normal intake.

In fact, water is really needed by the body for about two liters every day. However, the condition of limitations in the evacuation caused it to not be fulfilled.

In addition, he also invites them to have a balanced lifestyle, including adequate rest and eating fruit and vegetables.

Apart from ISPA, he conveyed that the trend of skin diseases in the city of Padang also increased after the disaster. This is related to the use of clean water to meet daily needs.

"Before the flood hit, people generally used clean water from PDAM. However, after the PDAM water disaster died and residents chose to use water from wells and so on," he explained.

According to him, the use of cloudy water can trigger skin disease. Therefore, the Health Office urges residents to filter out every water that will be used. Until now, thousands of residents are still taking refuge in disaster posts and evacuations.