CDHB Earthquake Update - 4.30pm June 15

Important public health information

Boil or treat all water from taps and tankers before drinking, brushing teeth or using in food preparation.

• Bringing water to the boil is sufficient to kill bugs. Water needs to be boiled even if the smell or taste of chlorine is present. If you cannot boil water, treat it by adding 1 teaspoon of household bleach per 10 litres of water and leave for 30 minutes.

• The City Council and Public Health are working together to test water supplies in Christchurch and will update this advice as soon as we have a clear idea of how the water supply has been impacted by the aftershocks.

• Employers should also make sure their staff are only consuming boiled or bottled water at work. This applies for workplaces with self-supplied water, until testing can be completed and the supply can be cleared of risk. It also applies to water filtered through a water cooler.

Ensure you and your family keep warm – particularly if there are elderly, chronically ill or young people in your household.

• If you do not have electricity at this stage, make plans to stay warm tonight by using heating units that do not rely on electricity (such as solid fuel heaters) or arrange to stay with friends or family with power.
• Do not stay in your home if it is not weather tight
• Make sure your family dress warmly even when inside.

If you still have no power, take particular care with perishable food.

• Take care in using perishable food that should be refrigerated.
• Dispose of smelly, slimy, mouldy or discoloured food immediately

• Keep your freezer closed as long as possible to help keep food frozen for a while.
• Do not refreeze defrosted food once power returns.

Take steps to avoid sewage contamination from broken pipes.

• People should avoid sewage even if it is on their properties. They should also avoid contact with silt that may have been contaminated with sewage.
• Avoid contact with rivers, sea water, ponds, puddles or other surface water. Wash your hands or use hand sanitiser often, particularly after toileting, and before and after eating or preparing food.

If you feel ill seek assistance or advice.

• Most GPs in the city are open. If you need medical assistance contact your GP in the first instance.
• If it’s an emergency dial 111.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, especially from your family or neighbours.

• Keep an eye out for each other, especially if there are vulnerable people (e.g. the elderly or someone unwell) in your neighbourhood.

Hospital services

Limited Elective surgery resumes tomorrow except at Burwood where theatres remain closed, including plastic skin lesion clinics

Outpatient clinics running as normal with patients encouraged to phone the department if they cannot attend

Specialist Mental Health Service outpatient appointments are continuing as usual.

Planned and emergency caesarean sections at Christchurch Women’s Hospital are going ahead.

Primary birthing units are operating as usual.

Canterbury DHB Buildings are still being inspected but no serious structural issues have been identified.

Riverside block at Christchurch Hospital – the fourth and fifth floors of Riverside building have reopened. The problems experienced with the emergency fire alarm warning systems have now been fixed.

Burwood and Hillmorton Hospitals are on the town water supply, so need to boil water until further notice. Testing on the bore water at TPMH and Christchurch Hospital will take two to three days, so in the meantime boil water for drinking. Bottled water will be made available at all Christchurch CDHB sites.

The Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital is open. The department saw up to 60 injured patients in the five hours following the 1pm quake but we are not able to completely determine if all are quake related. About 16 of those patients were admitted but none were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Four had moderate to serious injuries. Two remain in hospital in a stable condition. The department also had 12 people present with chest pains in the first five hours and nine of those were admitted.

Vulnerable People

Repatriation of aged care residents evacuated after the February 22 earthquake are continuing as scheduled.

Two residential disability services have evacuated, and another provider is being monitored. The Hawksbury Trust moved eight residents from one damaged house into two of its other local group homes on Monday night. Twelve residents from Independence House have chosen to return to their families temporarily. Another provider is being monitored regarding the possible need to evacuate a group home. Contact with this provider is being managed by the Ministry of Health Disability Support Services (DSS) Group and all media queries should be directed to the Ministry.

No DSS providers have reported any injuries.

Home based support services were yesterday prioritising visits to vulnerable clients in the worst affected areas.

There are no evacuations planned for aged care facilities, where some younger adults with disabilities live.

Welfare and Support Contacts

The New Zealand Red Cross and the Salvation Army are operating a number of mobile welfare units in the eastern suburbs.

Red Cross are offering financial assistance to people aged over 65 years or with children under five years and who live in a damaged home a $100 a month direct to the power company to take off the household bill, to assist with winter heating. Up to 8000 households may be eligible for a grant. Applications are being accepted for the over 65s until June 27 and for the under fives until July 6. For more information: http://www.redcrosseqgrants.org.nz/Overview/Information/Winter%20Assistance%20Grant.htm

Relationship Services earthquake counselling line (0800 RELATE)

The Government Emergency Response line (GERL, 0800 779 997)

The MoH Healthline – (0800 611 116) for free 24-hour health advice within New Zealand – calls are free from a cellphone

The Salvation Army takes general enquiries at (03) 377 0799 during working hours, and will refer any clients who request counselling assistance.

All Canterbury primary care practices can either provide mental health or counselling services, or refer as appropriate. Phone your own General Practice team for more information.

More links and information about where to get support can be found on the Ministry Of Health’s Christchurch Earthquake page:
http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/indexmh/christchurch-earthquake

Coping with anxiety and stress

It’s normal to feel distressed and for it to last days or weeks. It’s important to:

Allow enough time to heal physically and mentally.

Seek support from friends and family.

Some people find it helpful to talk about what has happened to them, whereas others prefer not to discuss it. Either strategy is fine, provided you feel able to choose what you do.

More information about how to cope with stress and anxiety can be found by following the links on the health pathways website. Go to: http://www.healthpathways.org.nz/ then click on ‘Mental Health’ located to the left of the screen, then ‘Post-earthquake Mental Health’, and ‘Earthquake Stress’. For further assistance you can also contact the Canterbury Support line on 0800 777 846

ENDS

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