CASES of a violent diarrhoea bug, which primarily infects people through farces contaminated drinking water, has now reached 77 as hundreds continue to fall ill. The majority of those infected were in Devon , however, there have been reported cases in Oxfordshire and Worcestershire over the past few months. It comes after residents in Brixham faced a series of outbreaks earlier this month.
The waterborne parasite, cryptosporidium , causes violent diarrhoea and vomiting for weeks and can be passed on from person to person. Experts have warned that more outbreaks of the bug could crop up in other parts of the UK if infected people carry the virus away from Devon. Dozens of Brits, including children, have fallen severely ill since the end of March.
Locals have been forced to boil water for weeks to make it safe to drink, with ships running out of bottled water due to panic-buying. A damaged air valve in the water supply line could be the source of the outbreak. It appears it "may have allowed animal waste or contaminated groundwater to enter the local supply".
However, water isn't the only way people can get struck down with cryptosporidium. Infected animals can also pass on the illness. More than 80 people are seeking legal action after they caught the bug at a petting zoo .
Parents and children were left with severe gastric sickness following a visit to Gannow Farm in Worcestershire over the Easter holidays. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Wychavon District Council h.
