Hommam Al Nassim 
Health authorities in southern Brazil have reported their first death from a waterborne disease, as flood waters slowly recede.
Health authorities warned of the possibility of additional deaths as a result of this disease and confirmed in the state of Rio Grande do Sul the death of a 67-year-old man on Monday.
Local media reported a second death due to the same infectious disease.
The state authorities announced on Wednesday that floods over a period of approximately two weeks had claimed the lives of at least 161 people, while 82 were still missing.
The floods forced more than 600,000 people to leave their homes, while tens of thousands are still residing in temporary shelters.
🇧🇷BRAZIL FLOODS: 83 DEAD, 111 MISSING
Catastrophic floods in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul have displaced 850,000, injured hundreds and destroyed countless buildings, roads, bridges.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 6, 2024
Health experts expected an increase in the spread of infectious diseases, such as hepatitis, within two weeks of the floods, due to the mixing of sewage with floodwaters.
The lack of safe drinking water means people will start using water from poor-quality reservoirs, increasing the risk of disease, said Paulo Saldiva, a professor at the University of São Paulo’s School of Medicine.
The unprecedented disaster struck more than 80% of the state’s municipalities, causing damage to infrastructure.
More than 3,000 hospitals, pharmacies, health centers and private clinics were affected, according to a report by the federal government’s Health Research Institute.
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