A suspected outbreak of a parasite that is said to have affected hundreds of people is currently being investigated in the idyllic English coastal town of Brixham. The trigger could have been contaminated water.
The tranquil coastal town of Brixham in southwest England is being hit by what at first appears to be a mysterious wave of illness. Symptoms range from watery diarrhea and abdominal pain to nausea or vomiting, mild fever and loss of appetite.
The British health agency UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has now launched an investigation to get to the bottom of the possible cause. According to initial findings, the Cryptosporidium parasite could be the cause of the illness.
According to the BBC, the UKHSA has already confirmed 16 cases of the pathogen. Another 70 cases are currently being investigated. Apparently the wave of illness is affecting many more people. Brixham Fish Town Council’s Facebook page has been flooded with posts and comments from residents reporting symptoms.
Cryptosporidium can be caused by swimming in or drinking contaminated water, as well as other sources such as contaminated food. Where and how exactly people came into contact with the parasite is still completely unclear. A spokeswoman for South West Water (SWW) said, according to DevonLive: “We are aware of social media posts about the quality of drinking water in the Brixham area and would like to reassure customers that the water supply can continue to be used as normal. We conducted sampling and testing for Cryptosporidium and all results were negative.”
MP Anthony Mangnall, whose constituency includes Brixham, also tried to reassure residents of the coastal town and reassured citizens on his official Facebook page that they can continue to use their drinking water as normal. However, this is likely to be little consolation for the sick people as long as the origin of the pathogen has not yet been clarified.