The outbreak of a waterborne disease in Devon could last at least a week, an expert has told Sky News.
Residents in parts of Brixham were told to boil their drinking water on Thursday after 22 cases of cryptosporidiosis were confirmed in and around the area.
Professor Paul Hunter, a specialist in medical microbiology at the University of East Anglia, has now told Sky News the issue could last at least a week, and that “it’s not unusual to be ill for a month” with the waterborne disease.
He explained if the parasite cryptosporidium – which causes cryptosporidiosis – is “a continuous thing” present in water supplies for a prolonged period, then “you’d expect to see more cases”.
South West Water said “small traces” of the parasite were found in the water supply in Devon on Wednesday.
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Residents ‘worried’ over water parasite
The water company added it was “urgently investigating” the findings in the Alston and Hillhead areas of the local water network – which supplies customers in Brixham, Boohay, Kingswear, Roseland and North West Paignton – and apologised for the inconvenience.
Prof Hunter added there is “no specific treatment” for the disease, which causes diarrhoea symptoms, and “there’s nothing we can do to shorten the length” of time people battle the illness.
He also said most people “will get over it in two to four weeks” and swimming in the ocean is not likely to cause infection.
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South West Water workers are at the reservoir site looking for cryptosporidium.
Those at most risk are “quite severely immunocompromised” or are children who “do get more problems” from the disease.
It comes after hundreds of people said on a local Facebook group have reported symptoms of cryptosporidiosis over the last week.
The UK Health Security Agency said 22 people are confirmed to have the disease, and as many as 70 other cases of diarrhoea and vomiting in residents and visitors to Brixham are also under investigation. More confirmed cases are expected.