More than 1,000 cases of gastroenteritis have been reported in an Italian town near Lake Garda.
Initial water samples revealed the presence of norovirus, though the official cause of the virus outbreak is still unclear.
In recent days, over a thousand cases of gastroenteritis, also known as stomach flu, have been recorded in the small town of Torri del Benaco on the eastern shore of Lake Garda and its surroundings.
Gastroenteritis in children is typically caused by rotavirus, while in adults, norovirus and Campylobacter bacteria are more common culprits. Symptoms usually subside within two days.
Over 300 affected individuals in Italy have experienced nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Norovirus was detected in some water samples collected last Friday and analyzed in Brescia. New samples were taken from various locations in Torri del Benaco on Sunday, but all preliminary results were negative, stated Azienda Gardesana Servizi (AGS) on Monday. Residents are still being provided with bottled water while authorities await further water analysis results.
Italian media speculate that the cases may be linked to the currently high water levels in Lake Garda, caused by heavy rains in recent weeks, which have overburdened the sewer system. Another hypothesis suggests that the local aqueduct might have been contaminated with lake sewage. These suspicions have not been officially confirmed.
Torri del Benaco has a population of just under 3,000 people. With the start of the summer season, the town sees an influx of tourists.
The virus causing gastroenteritis can also be transmitted through food. However, this hypothesis has not been confirmed in Torri del Benaco either.
