Oman

Oman

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Modified 17/3/2011

Tropical Cyclone Gonu: Number of patients and pattern of illnesses in the primary health centers in A'Seeb area, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Abstract:

Background: In June 6th 2007, a tropical Cyclone Gonu strikes the coastline of Oman causing enormous damage to the infrastructure. The purpose of this study is to compare number of patients and pattern of illnesses between disaster time (June 2007) to the same period one year before and one after the incident (peace time).

Method: descriptive comparative analysis of all patients visited the primary health centers in Wilayat A'Seeb during the index days. Electronic database collected from the HC were grouped into 4 groups: infection-related, trauma-related, acute non trauma-related, and miscellaneous group. Data were analyzed to find difference of patient influx and disease patterns between disaster and peace times.

Results: H.C. visits during the index days decreased from 9006 in 2006 to 8687 in 2007 then increased to 8786 in 2008. Neither between years variation nor between disaster and peace times difference was found to be statistically significant (p value= 0.0488, and 0.069 respectively). The proportion of patient visited the H.C. due to infection-related illnesses changed from 30% in 2006, 31% in 2007, and 24% in 2008 (p value <0.0001). The proportion of patients visited the H.C. due to trauma-related illnesses had changed from 4% in 2006, to 6.7% in 2007, and to 4.4% in 2008. (p value<0.0001). Proportions for acute non trauma-related visits were 27% in 2006, 24% in 2007, and 23% in 2008, was found to be statistically significant between years (<0.0001) but not between disaster and peace times (p value=0.0732). Miscellaneous group accounted for 38% in 2006, 37% in 2007, and 47% in 2008 (p value<0.0001).

Conclusions: Tropical Cyclone Gonu caused statistically significant increase in percentages of infectious and trauma-related visits. The overall ratios of total visits did not from peace times.

Introduction:

In June 1st 2007, a super cyclonic storm (hurricane) called Gonu developed in the Arabian Sea .On June 3rd, the storm rapidly intensified to attain peak winds of 240 km/h. Upon reaching the Omani coast in June 5th, it weakened into winds of 150 km/h, becoming the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Arabian Peninsula. Sultanate of Oman, located in the south east of the Arabian peninsula, consists of 8regions (Muscat, Batinah, Musandam, Dhahira, Dhofar, Dakhiliyah, Sharqiyah, and Wusta) and has more than 2000km of coast line. Based on 2007 estimates, the total population of Oman was slightly more than 2.7 million and most of them live in the coastal area (mainly in Muscat and Batinah regions).(2)

Muscat, the capital of Oman, consists of 6 wilayats: city of Muscat, Mutrah, Bowshar, A'Seeb, Al Amerat, and Quriyat .It has a total population of 664,826(2004 estimates), about one third of them live in wilayat A'Seeb.

In Muscat and coastal areas, flooding and mudflows from Gonu severely damaged local infrastructure, including bridges, roads, electricity, and telephone networks. Omanis and expatriates living in low-lying areas in the path of flood waters ...