Norovirus outbreak infects thousands in northern Spain
Source: Agence France-Presse
More than 4,000 people fell ill with norovirus in northeastern Spain after drinking bottled spring water contaminated with human faecal matter, local health officials said on Monday.
The health department of the regional government of Catalonia said 4,146 people were treated for symptoms including nausea, vomiting and fever in Barcelona and Tarragona after drinking the contaminated water from office water-coolers. Six needed hospital treatment.
It is the first time in the world that norovirus has been found in bottled water, said Albert Bosch, a microbiology professor at the University of Barcelona, who was in charge of the analysis of the contaminated water.
The way this usually happens with tap water is because somehow faecal water got mixed up with drinking water. But in this case we are talking of bottled water, there is a process and we dont know at what point it happened, he added.
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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/26/norovirus-outbreak-infects-thousands-in-northern-spain
Laffy Kat
(16,356 posts)It can be dangerous for the immune compromised.
EllieBC
(2,961 posts)So many issues hold it up like not really understanding immunity to it and something about the cell structure of the virus itself. That and they can't seem to successfully create it in a lab.
I for one would be thrilled to see a vax for it. I would give my left tit to never ever have that awful virus again. It started with my then 3 year old and turned my home into a 5 day vomitorium as we all fell to it. Now I keep gravol and Gatorade on hand as a constant precaution.
On edit: if you've never had noro, you are so so lucky. And some people think different blood types may be immune to it. There's some research about that too.
AuntPatsy
(9,904 posts)Going to Barcelona in a few weeks. Thanks for the information.
kairos12
(12,817 posts)Wolf Frankula
(3,595 posts)Don't drink water.
Wolf