Health Protection Agency (HPA) has stated that there is an increase of reported cases of diarrhea.

In a tweet on Friday, HPA stated that this is mostly viral diarrhea, spread when infected people touch food or surfaces with their hands without proper hand washing.

HPA stated that proper hand washing with soap and water is the most important measure to prevent viral diarrhea and that handwashing after using the toilet and changing diapers, and before preparing food or feeding can prevent spread.

Reported cases of diarrhea tend to increase during this time of the year.

Reported cases of diarrhea was at 5,500 in January this year and decreased to 1,594 in April before increasing to 3,808 in July.

HPA also stated that other diseases such as typhoid fever can have symptoms such as diarrhea and that every year, few cases of suspected typhoid are reported, adding that four cases were reported in the first six months of this year from Male' area.

Typhoid is a disease caused by bacteria and spread by contaminated food and water, usually by an infected person or carrier.