In addition to its main fecal-oral transmission route, the Hepatitis A virus can survive for a long ti in the external environnt due to its strong resistance to external conditions.
Li Xiue’s workplace, with its tables, children’s clothing, and bedsheets, had now beco the largest source of contamination.
Du Heng asked a few more questions and then put away the piece of paper.
He decided to treat Li Xiue first.
Traditional Chinese dicine already had a complete set of treatnt thods for acute Hepatitis A virus infection.
The principle of the dication was to clear heat and dampness, promote bile drainage to alleviate jaundice, cool the blood, remove stasis, and detoxify, administered as an oral decoction.
Acupuncture could also be applied at the BL-18, BL 19, and LV-03 acupoints to quickly relieve jaundice and resolve blood stasis.
Du Heng took out his needle tool kit, turned to look at Linger behind him, and said, "Co, help your mother sit up, and then lift the back of her clothes."
...
After Du Heng finished a round of acupuncture, Wang Shizhen, who had gone to prepare the decoction of dicine, hurried back. He had even ridden his motorcycle to save ti.
After Li Xiue drank the dicine, Du Heng and Wang Shizhen went into the courtyard. They began to and the infectious disease report card, adding the information Du Heng had gathered from his recent questions.
The epidemic prevention system in Jinzhou was well-established. About two hours later, two vehicles arrived one after the other at Li Xiue’s ho.
The first vehicle belonged to the epidemic prevention team, and the second was an ambulance to transport the patients.
A group of people erged from the vehicles, heavily bundled in protective gear. Compared to Du Heng and Wang Shizhen, who only wore masks, the difference was night and day.
As soon as this group alighted, they imdiately began spraying Du Heng and Wang Shizhen with disinfectant. Only after the disinfection was complete did everyone gather to handle the registration and handover of epidemic prevention duties.
Because Li Xiue’s family hadn’t used separate bowls and chopsticks for als in recent days, cross-contamination was almost certain. Consequently, all three family mbers were imdiately taken to the ambulance.
Fortunately, everyone had been busy lately and there had been no mutual dinner gatherings. Otherwise, these two vehicles certainly wouldn’t have been enough today.
After the family of three was sent off in the ambulance, personnel from the Epidemic Prevention Station began disinfecting their ho. They ticulously covered every inch, from inside to out, with particular attention paid to the toilet.
Li Xiue’s family had a dry toilet, and it was currently sumr. The Hepatitis A virus can be carried and transmitted by flies.
So, the toilet beca a key target for epidemic prevention. First, a thick layer of soil was applied, followed by a layer of li, and then another layer of soil.
The end result was that Li Xiue’s toilet was gone, completely filled in. They would have to dig a new one when they returned.
Wang Juguo, who was watching from the side, was then reprimanded by the head of the epidemic prevention team.
"Since the year before last, the entire city has been carrying out toilet renovations, converting all open-air dry toilets into underground bucket-style ones. Why hasn’t your village completed this renovation yet? Where did the renovation funds allocated to you go?"
Wang Juguo had nothing to say.
It wasn’t up to him; without money from the township, he couldn’t possibly pay for the renovations himself, could he?
The leader of the epidemic prevention team was furious, and his anger intensified when Wang Juguo remained silent. "You’d better pray this virus doesn’t spread. If an outbreak occurs because of these toilet renovation issues, you can look forward to so hard tis."
With that, he stord off, leaving Wang Juguo looking frustrated.
Du Heng felt a sense of helpless irony, not for Wang Juguo, but for Director Zhang.
In the Shang Ling Village landslide incident back in April, Director Zhang had already been severely reprimanded by district leaders over the issue of old and dilapidated house renovation. Now, with this epidemic, the problem of toilet renovation had also been exposed.
Both incidents stemd from a lack of funds, and in both cases, the work had been subpar.
Once this matter was officially reported, their superiors would undoubtedly be in hot water.
So, once the epidemic prevention team departed, Du Heng called Director Zhang and the others to inform them of the situation.
How they chose to handle it from there was no longer his concern.
Discovering the epidemic, initiating control asures – his Health Clinic had fulfilled its responsibilities.
Moreover, Wang Shizhen had made a significant contribution this ti. The district bureau, the Epidemic Prevention Station, and the Health Clinic would all surely reward him.
However, the specifics of the Health Clinic’s reward would require Du Heng to discuss it with Lu Zhongjiang; it wouldn’t solely depend on the district bureau’s comndation.
Each with different thoughts, the three of them returned to the Village Committee in silence.
Watching Wang Juguo, who stood silently with a dejected air, Du Heng wasn’t sure how to offer comfort.
After a long silence, Wang Juguo headed straight for the broadcast room. He began shouting over the loudspeakers, instructing everyone to start disinfecting their hos, especially those who had been in contact with Li Xiue’s family in the past few days. If anyone experienced fever, nausea, yellowing of the skin, or yellowing of the eyes, they were to notify the village clinic imdiately.
Du Heng was taken aback by Wang Juguo’s directness. Such an announcent could easily cause panic.
However, Du Heng’s worries proved unfounded.
Upon hearing the broadcast, every household indeed hurried to disinfect. Families with disinfectant spray used it; those without sourced quickli and then busied themselves filling in their own toilets.
Once all the urgent tasks were completed, villagers began to gather in small groups, idly chatting.
Panic? What did that word even an to these villagers?
Wang Shizhen, still feeling uneasy, took the disinfectant from the clinic and sprayed himself and Du Heng for a second ti.
Du Heng said, "Don’t worry. If there were any real risk of transmission, they would have taken us too. Do you think we’d still be allowed to sit here?"
"Better safe than sorry. Let’s disinfect again in an hour."
"Suit yourself," Du Heng replied, indifferent. He sat on the sofa, glancing at his wrist, his thoughts drifting back to Wang Shiyuan’s wife.
After contemplating for a mont, Du Heng looked up and asked Wang Shizhen, "What do you know about Wang Shiyuan’s wife’s illness?"
Wang Shizhen replied distractedly, "I don’t know much. Ever since her son died, she’s been... well, vacant and listless. They never ca to for treatnt, and knowing I wasn’t equipped to help, I didn’t visit. I did hear, though, that Wang Shiyuan took his wife to many places, including many temples to burn incense."
He sighed. "Isn’t there a Lama Temple in Blackgrass Valley? I heard an old Lama there is said to be very spiritually powerful. Wang Shiyuan went there too. I don’t know what was said; Wang Shiyuan never told anyone. But in recent years, he’s been going to burn incense far more often than he’s been visiting hospitals."
That was new information, but it didn’t seem particularly helpful for treating Wang Shiyuan’s wife.
It’s human nature. When faced with situations where conventional ans fail to bring desired outcos, people often turn to prayer and seeking divine intervention.
"Didn’t you all try to persuade him?"
"Of course we did. The Secretary, the Director, and I all talked to him, but he just wouldn’t listen. What could we do?"
"Accompany to their ho again. I want to ask Wang Shiyuan for his wife’s dical records."
Wang Shizhen looked at Du Heng, perplexed. "Du, you’re not seriously thinking of trying to cure his wife, are you? I’m telling you, they’ve been to the Municipal Third Hospital and several other Big Hospitals. I even heard they went to ntal illness hospitals in other provinces."
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