Cape Town - South Africans are worried about germs.
In the findings of a survey conducted by the Global Hygiene Council, the country’s citizens came out tops among nations that took hygiene seriously and washed their hands as a preventive measure against infectious diseases.
The Global Infection Challenge Survey questioned about 18 000 people in 18 countries, including South Africa, Nigeria, Turkey, Germany, the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, India and Japan.
Researchers found that 89 percent of South Africans washed their hands with soap and water after going to the toilet and before eating.
The Japanese were the least hygienic, with only 50 percent of respondents doing so. Only 31 percent of Japanese disinfected their home environments regularly, compared with 77 percent of South Africans.
The online survey analysed consumer’s perceptions and concerns about the risk of infectious diseases and measures they took to prevent infections. It found South Africans were among the most anxious about infections.
Indians were the most anxious about contracting infectious disease, with 95 percent of Indians worried, compared with about 80 percent of South Africans, while only 54 percent of Germans were worried about getting infections.
Data showed that different countries were concerned about infectious diseases, but worldwide the biggest concern was catching the flu virus.
South Africans were mostly concerned with stomach bugs, with 37 percent fearing E coli and other bacterial infections, while 34 percent were worried about diarrhoea and vomiting.
Canada was also more concerned with gastrointestinal infections, while Nigerians, Indians, Chinese and Saudi Arabians were worried more about seasonal flu. - Cape Argus