Health Alert: Avoid Buying and Consuming Fish from Flood-Hit Waters in Kushinagar

KUSHINAGAR — The health department has issued an urgent public health advisory warning residents against purchasing or eating fish sourced from flood-affected water bodies, particularly the Gandak River. Recent floods and landslides in Nepal have caused large numbers of fish to wash downstream into local rivers and ponds, raising significant contamination concerns.

Floodwaters regularly carry harmful toxins, runoff, and bacteria that contaminate local aquatic life. Consuming fish exposed to these conditions creates a severe risk of severe foodborne illnesses and infections.

Official Advisory Guidelines

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Chandra Prakash directed the alert to the general public, wholesale fish dealers, retail vendors, and commercial food operators:

• Strict Ban on Suspect Fish: Do not catch, trade, buy, or consume fish originating from flood zones or unverified sources.
• Avoid Dead or Dying Stock: Avoid handling or retrieving dead, lethargic, or abnormal-looking fish found floating in open waters or along riverbanks.
• Traceability Checks: Consumers must verify the origin and freshness of any fish before purchase. If the supplier’s source is questionable, avoid buying entirely.
• Safe Cooking Protocols: Any verified, safe fish should still be washed thoroughly with clean running water and cooked at high temperatures.

Directives for Vendors, Hotels, and Restaurants

• Commercial Vendors: Fish traders and retail merchants are barred from introducing flood-sourced catches into public markets. Compliance with food safety and health mandates is mandatory.
• Hospitality Outlets: Restaurants, roadside eateries, and hotels must inspect wholesale supplies to verify safe supply chains. Serving questionable stock to customers will draw scrutiny from food safety regulators.

Local authorities urged citizens to notify food safety officers or district health officials immediately if they witness the sale of flood-swept fish originating from downstream Nepal currents.