In Sicily a serious health emergency is underway due to the detected presence of salmonella in the water distribution network Of 15 Municipalities of the province of Trapani. The news was given by the ASP, the provincial health authority, which, in a “very urgent” note, imposed on the citizens of the territories concerned the prohibition to use thepublic water for drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning food in order to avoid i risks connected to the bacterium.
Salmonella in the water network of Trapani: the municipalities affected
I am 15as mentioned, i Municipalities in which the presence of salmonella was found in the water supply, all in Trapaniin Sicily. More specifically, these are Partanna, Santa Ninfa, Salaparuta, Poggioreale, Gibellina, Salemi, Vita, Calatafimi, Buseto, Alcamo, Paceco, Erice, Valderice, Custonaci and Trapani.
The ASP of Trapani has sent the mayors of these municipalities to urgently issue ordinances prohibiting the use of water until the contamination found is overcome. It was also suggested to adopt the emergency purification systems indicated by the WHO, World Health Organization. These involve prolonged boiling of water and the addition of sodium hypochlorite-based disinfectants (for example amuchin) in municipal storage tanks.
The discovery of the bacterium
The first to make known the presence of salmonella in Trapani water network it was the company Siciliaque who did not fail to underline the risks for citizens linked to this situation.
“The bacterium present in the network constitutes a significant risk factor for water distribution” stated the director of the prevention department Francesco Di Gregorio which urged citizens not to use the water “until the reported non-compliance is overcome”.
The risks for citizens
Please remember that the salmonella is a bacterium that can contaminate foods and drinks which, if ingested by humans, can lead to infections gastrointestinal (salmonellosis) which have a greater impact on the most fragile subjects such as the elderly, children and immunosuppressed people. Symptoms are generally fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting.
The bacterium is transmitted by ingestion of contaminated foods and drinksbut even simple contact with infected water can have consequences, hence the invitation to citizens not to use the water even for washing.
The ASP’s recommendations and the times
In order to avoid the risks linked to salmonella, the citizens of the municipalities involved are invited not to use water from the public water supply. To resolve the situation, as it transpires from the bodies involved in the problem, it could take up to 5 daysin which citizens must follow a series of recommendations and advice:
- consume only bottled water and equip yourself with a supply in line with your needs, avoiding purchasing more quantities than you actually need. In this way everyone will be able to find it more easily and the crowds in supermarkets will be avoided;
- do not use for no reasontap water;
- follow all updates provided by local authorities.
In the meantime, the ASP has initiated all the necessary procedures to understand the source of the contamination and start sanitizing the entire water network.
