A GRANDMA was hospitalized after drinking water containing cryptosporidium amid a crisis with hundreds of people sick.
Elaine Hollier, 80, from Brixham, Devon, was rushed to hospital by paramedics on Saturday, May 11, after suffering severe dehydration and vomiting for two weeks.
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It comes amid a dirty water crisis in the county, with hotels closing after hundreds of people were struck down by diarrhea – and could be sick for a month.
The UK Health Safety Agency is investigating 22 cases of cryptosporidium in South Devon – with hundreds more feared to be ill.
Dozens of residents and tourists reported serious symptoms such as watery diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea or vomiting, mild fever and loss of appetite.
RESERVOIR ‘TO BE DRAINED’
Hillhead’s underground reservoir may have to be completely drained and locals will have to rely on alternative water sources for weeks.
Residents formed huge queues to collect emergency bottled water in the nearby Broadsands car park.
Elaine’s husband of 60 years, Dennis Hollier, said: “She was absolutely diabolical. For four days I tried to help her, but I was so worried that I called 111.
How to know if you’ve caught Cryptosporidium – plus steps to avoid it
HUNDREDS of people in Devon have been hit by a parasite that has infiltrated the water supply.
The insect, cryptosporidium, commonly known as ‘crypto’, can infect the digestive systems of animals and people.
Most people recover, but some can become seriously ill, such as very young children and people with particularly weak immune systems.
What are the symptoms?
- Profuse watery diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Low fever
- Loss of appetite
- Dehydration
- Weight loss
Symptoms usually last about two weeks, but may last longer, especially in people with weak immune systems.
During illness, you may think you are getting better and have gotten rid of the infection, but it returns a few days later before you have fully recovered.
Take the following steps to protect yourself from the disease
The advice for people living in the affected area is to boil drinking water and drink plenty to avoid dehydration – and to stay away from home until the situation eases.
In addition to the current outbreak, crypto can also be caught in lakes and pools and in contact with animal manure.
Therefore, you should always avoid swallowing water from lakes and swimming pools.
Catching it from animals is generally the most common way people get sick, with a peak occurring in the spring when farms hold open days.
You should always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after working, feeding, caring for, or playing with pets and other animals.
How do I treat the disease?
There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis.
Most people with a healthy immune system will recover within a month.
It’s important to drink plenty of fluids, as diarrhea or vomiting can lead to dehydration and you can lose important sugars and minerals from your body.
Cryptosporidiosis is highly infectious, so you need to be very clean in your home for at least 48 hours after your symptoms disappear, then don’t return to work or school until that time has passed, don’t share towels or bedding, and don’t prepare food for other people.
You are infectious to others while you are sick and have symptoms
“The hospital didn’t know how to treat her because they didn’t know what was infecting her. She had severe stomach pains and could barely speak because she was so dehydrated.”
“As soon as they confirmed there was a virus in the water, the doctors said ‘now we know how to treat it’.
“I was very worried, they even told me to stay away from the hospital because they didn’t know what it was.
“I called South West Water to tell them what happened but they said you can keep drinking the water. I know at least 10 people who have suffered from this.
“It was very upsetting to see my wife in a hospital bed with antibiotic tubes sticking out of her arms. She has no appetite or energy. I was also really worried about myself because they didn’t have a clue.”
Hollier says he also had symptoms, but had a “lucky escape” because he drinks less water than his wife. Both initially thought an undercooked sausage had made them sick.
He saw workers at the Hillhead Reservoir pumping station a week ago and at the time didn’t care, but now suspects the work could be linked to the outbreak.
He added: “It’s a shame, the doctors say it could take her a month to recover.
“She’s going to write to South West Water to say you put me in hospital. I think whoever is responsible needs to be fired and the water company needs to explain what they knew and when, because I don’t think they told us the whole truth. .”
‘DAMAGED AIR VALVE’
Cllr Anthony Mangnall, whose Totnes constituency includes impacted Brixham, said the chaos may have been caused by a “damaged air valve”.
This “may have allowed animal waste or contaminated groundwater to enter the local supply,” he said.
The Conservative wrote on Facebook: “I have just attended a meeting called by the Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to receive an update from South West Water…
“And the UK Health Security Agency (SWW) believes it has located the source of the problem and initiated a remediation…
“But they are continuing their investigations and will test their network to ensure the water is safe.”
Asked what the source of the problem was, he told a member of the public: “A damaged air valve in the Hillhead area, which may have allowed animal waste or contaminated groundwater to enter the local supply.”
Latest statement from South West Water:
Customers in Alston and the Hillhead area of Brixham are advised to boil their drinking water before consuming, following new test results for Cryptosporidium.
We are issuing this warning following small traces of the organism identified overnight and this morning.
We are working with the UK Health Security Agency and other public health partners to urgently investigate and eliminate the source.
We apologize for the inconvenience caused and will continue to keep customers and businesses updated.
Bottled water stations will be installed in affected areas as soon as possible.
Local residents living near Hillhead Reservoir say they have been warned by South West Water workers that they will have to be switched to alternative water sources while the reservoir – which serves around 40,000 homes – is emptied.
This afternoon, around a dozen South West Water vans were lined up outside a pumping station where the outbreak is believed to have been detected earlier this week.
‘WE’VE BEEN SICK FOR WEEKS’
A local resident, James Martins, said: “We have been sick for weeks, with vomiting, diarrhea and headaches. We are still feeling bad.
“My understanding is that it will take days or weeks for the reservoir to be fully drained and in the meantime we will have to boil our water.
“It wasn’t managed well by South West Water but all the staff we dealt with were wonderful, I think it’s at the top of the chain where the problems lie.”
A Brixham resident who queued for 15 minutes to collect bottled water said: “I’m furious this has happened. Water rates are incredibly expensive and now we are told we can’t even drink it. I think the bosses who receive such high salaries should come here and explain to us how things went so wrong.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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