Artemisa, Cuba - Summer, a season expected by everyone, is approaching. Despite the intense hot, children and young people in Cuba will enjoy their vacations, including many workers. But summer also brings favorable conditions for the proliferation of diseases due to water pollution.

Drinking contaminated or dirty water can cause many types of diseases, including acute diarrheal diseases (ADD), one of the main health problems in children.

Diarrhea is usually a symptom of an infection in the intestinal tract, which can be caused by a variety of bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms. Infection is spread through contaminated food or drinking-water. It is defined as the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day (or more frequent passage than is normal for the individual).

The quality of drinking water and epidemiological surveillance is the responsibility of the authorities of the Hygiene and Epidemiology Department. In San Antonio de los Baños, maintaining the process of water disinfection, through the systems designed by Acueducto y Alcantarillado enterprise, must be a priority. But also at home, especially for the consumption of children and seniors. You should boil your water to make it safe to drink. Boiling is the surest method to kill disease-causing organisms, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

As preventive measures, make sure to wash and peel fruits and vegetables before eating. Cook food properly. Eat food immediately after cooking or while it's still hot. Refrigerate leftover food and reheat before eating. Wash hands before and after food preparation, and before and after eating. Do not leave cooked foods at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Do not consume food after its expiration date. Avoid sneezing or coughing in front of food.

Diarrhoeal disease can be prevented through safe drinking-water and adequate sanitation and hygiene.