Only a month ago the world was gearing up ready to see a world first; Day Zero the day a large western city run out of water. Cape Town was all over the news and Dr Ola Uthman from our Global Health module summaries the health issues facing the city from an article in The Conversation, How Cape Town’s water crisis could make people sick.

“Day zero, when the 4 million people living in Cape Town run out of water, is becoming a real possibility. This scenario will affect businesses, the economy, education, recreation and social life. It will also have significant implications for the health of people living in Cape Town. The immediate health effects can be categorised into three main areas. Pressure on the sanitation system which raises the prospect of the spread of life threatening diseases such as dysentery; loss of hygiene because people can’t wash their hands; dehydration and heat strokes. In addition, there could be other consequences such as stress levels spiking and people becoming violent as they try and access water or over stretched health facilities.”

Now Day Zero has been pushed back by the Government until Summer 2018 for a number of factors, while water levels still remain dangerously low. The health challenges remain a concern as the threat of Day Zero lingers.

· What would you do to ensure residence safety in this situation?

· What is the most pressing issue to prevent the outbreak of illness?

· What challenges will the residents of Cape Town face if the health concerns are not addressed?

Read the full article from The Conversation to see what the authorities planning to tackle the public health challenges of Day Zero

Read more about our Global Health core module taught by Dr Ola Uthman and Dr Debbi Marais from Warwick Medical School.