More than 400 people fell ill after drinking contaminated tap water in communities east of South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, prompting authorities to declare the local water supply unsafe for human consumption and warn residents not to drink or cook with it.
The departments of water and health said 408 cases of gastrointestinal illness were recorded between 7 and 18 October across about five townships in the Tshwane metropolitan area, which includes Pretoria.
Patients, most of them children under the age of four, sought treatment for stomach cramps and diarrhoea, while laboratory tests linked the outbreak to contaminated water supplied by a local treatment facility serving several communities east of the city.
The departments of Water and Health said samples tested positive for high levels of E. coli as well as pathogens, including norovirus, campylobacter and shigella, all of which can cause severe gastrointestinal illness.
No deaths have been reported and no cholera bacteria have been detected in the affected areas.
In a joint statement, the departments said preliminary investigations indicated residents had been exposed to contaminated water from the treatment facility.
Investigators also found that local authorities had failed to alert communities about the contamination.
The affected water supply has been declared unfit for human consumption, with residents advised to use tap water only for flushing toilets.
Water tankers have been deployed to provide safe drinking water while authorities work to address the problem.
JN/APA