Already more than 1,000 people infected on Lake Garda
Torri del Benaco is the name of the village on Italy's Lake Garda where quite a few people suddenly fell ill and showed the same symptoms. According to Italian media, at least half of the 3,000-person town has already been affected. More than 300 people, including tourists, have already been hospitalized.
In just a few days, hundreds of residents and tourists there ended up in the hospital with complaints such as vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and fever. The culprit turned out to be norovirus. This is evident from examination of stool samples.
This norovirus spreads through food and water. Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes "stomach flu" (an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract). There are no vaccinations or medications to prevent norovirus infection.
The mayor has already decided that residents can no longer drink tap water. They will be temporarily offered bottled water from now on. Tourists are given guidelines for their visit to Lake Garda. City departments are treating all water pipes with chlorine to kill bacteria and viruses.
(FVDV for Tagtik/Illustration picture: Photo by Michael Martinelli on Unsplash)
