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State of emergency
A virus spreads on Lake Garda, hundreds of people in hospital
Hundreds of people have contracted norovirus in the Italian municipality of Torri del Benaco on Lake Garda. Mayor Stefano Nicotra has asked the City of Verona for help. The cause could be contamination of drinking water due to heavy rains.
zis
1.7.2024
...
A major norovirus outbreak has hit the picturesque port town of Torri del Benaco on the Veneto side of Lake Garda. The community of around 3,000 inhabitants is facing a massive wave of gastroenteritis, as reported by «La Repubblica» .
It is estimated that half the population was affected: hundreds of people had to be hospitalized. Local authorities are almost unable to intervene due to the high number of cases.
The mayor of the Italian municipality, Stefano Nicotra , then turned to the city of Verona for support in maintaining local infrastructure.
The cause of the widespread spread of the disease is not yet clear, but contaminated drinking water is suspected to have played a major role.
For this reason, the municipality has issued an ordinance prohibiting the use of tap water for drinking and food preparation. Large quantities of water in plastic bottles were delivered to Torri del Benaco to ensure water supply.
Are heavy rains the cause?
In addition, water pipes were treated with chlorine to kill any bacteria and viruses. The municipality published photos of trucks delivering drinking water and urged citizens to wash and disinfect their hands regularly.
Norovirus, known for its highly contagious gastrointestinal infections, spreads rapidly from person to person. There is no vaccination against the virus and for this reason communal facilities such as barracks, nursing homes and hospitals are particularly susceptible to outbreaks. However, it is unusual for an entire community to be affected.
A possible trigger for the spread of the virus could be the unusually heavy rainfall in recent weeks. Lake Garda, from which the municipality draws its drinking water, is currently carrying much more water than usual.
The water level at Peschiera, in the southern part of the lake, was recently 1.46 metres above zero, a level last reached in 1977. It is possible that wastewater entered the lake because pipes were overwhelmed by the mass of water.
State of emergency
A virus spreads on Lake Garda, hundreds of people in hospital
Hundreds of people have contracted norovirus in the Italian municipality of Torri del Benaco on Lake Garda. Mayor Stefano Nicotra has asked the City of Verona for help. The cause could be contamination of drinking water due to heavy rains.
zis
1.7.2024
...
A major norovirus outbreak has hit the picturesque port town of Torri del Benaco on the Veneto side of Lake Garda. The community of around 3,000 inhabitants is facing a massive wave of gastroenteritis, as reported by «La Repubblica» .
It is estimated that half the population was affected: hundreds of people had to be hospitalized. Local authorities are almost unable to intervene due to the high number of cases.
The mayor of the Italian municipality, Stefano Nicotra , then turned to the city of Verona for support in maintaining local infrastructure.
The cause of the widespread spread of the disease is not yet clear, but contaminated drinking water is suspected to have played a major role.
For this reason, the municipality has issued an ordinance prohibiting the use of tap water for drinking and food preparation. Large quantities of water in plastic bottles were delivered to Torri del Benaco to ensure water supply.
Are heavy rains the cause?
In addition, water pipes were treated with chlorine to kill any bacteria and viruses. The municipality published photos of trucks delivering drinking water and urged citizens to wash and disinfect their hands regularly.
Norovirus, known for its highly contagious gastrointestinal infections, spreads rapidly from person to person. There is no vaccination against the virus and for this reason communal facilities such as barracks, nursing homes and hospitals are particularly susceptible to outbreaks. However, it is unusual for an entire community to be affected.
A possible trigger for the spread of the virus could be the unusually heavy rainfall in recent weeks. Lake Garda, from which the municipality draws its drinking water, is currently carrying much more water than usual.
The water level at Peschiera, in the southern part of the lake, was recently 1.46 metres above zero, a level last reached in 1977. It is possible that wastewater entered the lake because pipes were overwhelmed by the mass of water.
