Giuseppe
Emeritus
Cryptosporidium bug affects thousands in Gwynedd
Aug 13 2008 by Hywel Trewyn, Daily Post
THOUSANDS of people were last night anxiously waiting to see if they had been struck down with the potentially deadly Cryptosporidium bug.
Welsh Water ordered 5,000 people living in the Tywyn, Aberdyfi, Bryncrug, Rhyd-yr-Onnen and Brynglas areas of Gwynedd to boil their drinking water or use bottled water as a precaution.
But last night it was feared that many tourists staying on campsites and caravan parks in the area may be unaware of the ban and continuing to use tap water.
It is not yet known whether the 48-hour notice issued on Monday night will be lifted or extended.
Doctors are now on the lookout for cases of diarrhoea so that samples can be tested for the bug which struck down 231 people in Gwynedd and Anglesey three years ago.
Then, 70,000 homes had to boil their water for six weeks before drinking or use it to prepare food.
The current contamination follows heavy rainfall on the weekend when Cryptosporidium was found in water from Afon Fathew and Nant Braich y Rhiw supplying Penybont water treatment works, near Bryncrug, on Saturday.
The works was shut but, when it was restarted on Sunday, the ultra-violet treatment was not switched on for ?around eight hours? when further samples of treated water showed Cryptosporidium oocysts present.
Yesterday, National Public Health Service for Wales Consultant in Communicable Disease Control Dr Chris Whiteside said: ?We are advising GPs in the area to look out for cases of bad diarrhoea and to take samples so we can test for gastrointestinal illnesses such as Cryptosporidium.
?If members of the public who have drunk water in the affected area on Sunday get a bad case of diarrhoea we advise them to see their GP as a precaution.?
National Public Health spokesman Chris Lines warned that the parasite had an incubation period of up to two weeks.
Tywyn councillor Dewi Owen criticised Welsh Water Dr Cymru for not getting the message across to locals and visitors alike.
Father-of-three Coun Owen, of Esgair Gyfela, Aberdyfi said: ?It?s very unfortunate. At this time of year all the hotels and caravan sites are full. I?ve just phoned a friend in the village who didn?t know about the notice.
?Another councillor phoned Dr Cymru?s emergency number and spoke with a girl who didn?t know anything about it. Surely Dwr Cymru should know? Dr Cymru should have gone round with a megaphone and distributed posters and warnings around the campsites.?
hyweltrewyn
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http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nor...-affects-thousands-in-gwynedd-55578-21521730/
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Aug 13 2008 by Hywel Trewyn, Daily Post
THOUSANDS of people were last night anxiously waiting to see if they had been struck down with the potentially deadly Cryptosporidium bug.
Welsh Water ordered 5,000 people living in the Tywyn, Aberdyfi, Bryncrug, Rhyd-yr-Onnen and Brynglas areas of Gwynedd to boil their drinking water or use bottled water as a precaution.
But last night it was feared that many tourists staying on campsites and caravan parks in the area may be unaware of the ban and continuing to use tap water.
It is not yet known whether the 48-hour notice issued on Monday night will be lifted or extended.
Doctors are now on the lookout for cases of diarrhoea so that samples can be tested for the bug which struck down 231 people in Gwynedd and Anglesey three years ago.
Then, 70,000 homes had to boil their water for six weeks before drinking or use it to prepare food.
The current contamination follows heavy rainfall on the weekend when Cryptosporidium was found in water from Afon Fathew and Nant Braich y Rhiw supplying Penybont water treatment works, near Bryncrug, on Saturday.
The works was shut but, when it was restarted on Sunday, the ultra-violet treatment was not switched on for ?around eight hours? when further samples of treated water showed Cryptosporidium oocysts present.
Yesterday, National Public Health Service for Wales Consultant in Communicable Disease Control Dr Chris Whiteside said: ?We are advising GPs in the area to look out for cases of bad diarrhoea and to take samples so we can test for gastrointestinal illnesses such as Cryptosporidium.
?If members of the public who have drunk water in the affected area on Sunday get a bad case of diarrhoea we advise them to see their GP as a precaution.?
National Public Health spokesman Chris Lines warned that the parasite had an incubation period of up to two weeks.
Tywyn councillor Dewi Owen criticised Welsh Water Dr Cymru for not getting the message across to locals and visitors alike.
Father-of-three Coun Owen, of Esgair Gyfela, Aberdyfi said: ?It?s very unfortunate. At this time of year all the hotels and caravan sites are full. I?ve just phoned a friend in the village who didn?t know about the notice.
?Another councillor phoned Dr Cymru?s emergency number and spoke with a girl who didn?t know anything about it. Surely Dwr Cymru should know? Dr Cymru should have gone round with a megaphone and distributed posters and warnings around the campsites.?
hyweltrewyn
-
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/nor...-affects-thousands-in-gwynedd-55578-21521730/
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