A total of 18,073 people have so far been affected by various water-borne diseases and other natural disasters in the flood-hit areas this year, as floodwater is receding from different parts of the country.

Some 345 unions under 76 upazilas of 28 districts were hit by flood, according to sources at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

In the flood-affected districts, 6,860 people were affected by diarrhoea while 1,961 with respiratory tract infection, 2,405 with skin diseases, 585 with eye infection and 5,676 with other diseases in the last 19 days since July 10, said the sources.

Besides, 532 people suffered injuries in various incidents, including eight in lightning strikes and 60 in snakebites, during the period.

A total of 397 people were affected by diarrhoea in the last 24 hours till 8am on Monday while 121 with respiratory tract infection, 185 with skin diseases, 27 with eye infection and 354 with other diseases.

As many as 119 people died for various reasons in the 18 days. Of them, 98 drowned while 10 died from snakebites and seven from lightning strikes and one died of respiratory tract infection.

The highest 36 deaths were recorded in Jamalpur while 20 in Gaibandha, 19 in Netrakona, 11 in Tangail, eight in Bogura, five in Sunamganj, four each in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, two each in Nilphamari, Sherpur, Brahmanbaria and Sirajganj, and one died in Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Faridpur and Manikganj districts each.

A total of 2,490 medical teams were working in the flood-hit areas under the supervision of the DGHS, said Dr Ayesha Akter, assistant director at the Health Emergency Operation Centre and Control Room of the DGHS.

Some 1,325 shelter centres -- 538 in Cox's Bazar, 479 in Chattogram, 98 in Rangamati, 88 in Feni, 70 in Gaibandha, 13 in Jamalpur, seven each in Bogura, Kurigram and Tangail, eight in Madaripur, five in Manikganj and Brahmanabaria each, and one centre in Sylhet -- were opened for the flood victims, she said.

Dr Ayesha said the DGHS is working day and night to ease the sufferings of those were affected by various diseases due to flood.

Medicine specialist Dr Harun Or Rashid said people get infected with various water-borne diseases like diarrhoea, skin diseases, dysentery and eye infection, with the receding of water from flood-affected areas. "Besides, a number of people die from snakebite during the flood," he said, adding that one can get rid of many diseases exercising caution.

He also advised for taking special care of children, elderly people and pregnant women in the affected areas at this moment.