Curette for contaminated water / What the samples from boreholes and reservoirs showed

The water supply network in the two communities of Rizomylou and Stefanovikei in the Municipality of Riga Feraio is found to be contaminated with faeces and salmonella, in relation to the 100 cases of gastroenteritis in the Magnesia area, according to the statements of those responsible during the press conference granted by the Region of Thessaly and the regional governor Dimitris Kouretas.

According to what ERT broadcasts, Dimitris Kouretas emphasized that daily checks will be made on the water supply network until the water quality is fully restored, while referring to the updated announcement issued earlier by EODY according to which “from the recording of the cases and from the telephone calls communications that have been carried out with the Velestino Hospital, the Volos Hospital and the Larisa Hospital until today 03/06/24, a total of 100 cases of gastroenteritis, of all ages and both sexes, with onset dates between of the time period 24/05/24-02/06/24. Nine (9) children were hospitalized in the pediatric clinic, of which 2 have been discharged, while an elderly person with underlying diseases is hospitalized in the ICU of GN Volos. These are residents of the areas in question whose connection to the phenomenon is being investigated.”

Children who continue to be hospitalized have dehydration, high fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, symptoms that have not subsided for a week.

According to Mr. Kouretas, samples will be taken again from the entire water supply network, and especially in the boreholes in the reservoir and in the network that leads the water to the residents’ homes.

At the same time, the governor of Thessaly recalled that according to the first results of the laboratory control of the water samples, there is a microbiological burden in samples from the regional network and in the reservoir.

In particular, in addition to microbial indicators of fecal contamination found in several sampling points, additional Salmonella spp. in the tank and in two additional samples of the regional network.

In conclusion, Mr. Kouretas repeated the recommendations of the EODY according to which the residents of the areas in question should avoid any consumption of water from the water supply system and use only bottled water.

In particular, according to the EODY, water must be used exclusively for toilet use (cisterns) and not for washing food, food preparation or personal cleaning. In the last case, as the Organization states, when water from the water supply network must be used, it should be boiled at 100 degrees for at least three minutes.

The updated update of the EODY in detail:

“EODY informs about the increased number of cases of gastroenteritis that has been observed since 27/5/24, in residents of the areas of Rizomylos and Stefanovikiou, PE of Magnesia, and in continuation of the DT of 01/06/24 the following:

– The unpleasant incident in which our fellow man ended up in Volos General Hospital from gastroenteritis, with the epidemiological data of the investigation so far, is not related to the outbreak of cases in Stefanovikio and Rizomylo.

– From the registration of the cases and from the telephone communications that have been made with the Velestino Hospital, the Volos General Hospital and the Larissa General Hospital until today 06/03/24, a total of 100 cases of gastroenteritis, of all ages, have come to the health facilities in question of both sexes, with symptom onset dates between 05/24/24-06/24/24. Nine (9) children were hospitalized in the pediatric clinic, of which 2 have been discharged, while an elderly person with underlying diseases is hospitalized in the ICU of GN Volos. These are residents of the areas in question whose connection to the phenomenon is being investigated.

On 31/05/2024 the Department of Health Control and Environmental Hygiene (TYEPY) of the PE of Magnesia, in collaboration with the EODY, went to the areas for sanitary identification of the water supply network, took water samples from points representative of the water supply network and sent them to PEDY of Thessaly for laboratory control. Today, 03/06/24, new water samples were taken from boreholes, the tank and points representative of the network.

According to the first results of the laboratory control of the water samples, there is a microbiological burden in samples from the regional network and the reservoir. In particular, in addition to microbial indicators of fecal contamination found in several sampling points, additional Salmonella spp. in the tank and in two additional samples of the regional network. Laboratory testing of water samples and identification of pathogens will continue in the coming days.

With reference to the laboratory control of the clinical samples, one (1) stool sample taken from a patient who came to the KY of Velestino and sent to the PEDY of Thessaly is positive for Salmonella. Six (6) stool samples from the children hospitalized at GN Volos are also positive for Salmonella and the completion of the laboratory control of the stool samples of the remaining three (3) children is pending. It has been requested that the clinical cultures be sent to the National Salmonella-Sigella Reference Center (NKASS) for serotyping.

The EODY and the PEDY of Thessaly, in collaboration with the Directorate of Public Health and Social Care (DDY) and the TYEPY of the PE of Magnesia, informed the Municipality of Riga Feraio on 31/05/2024 about the phenomenon. DEYA Riga Feraiu issued a notice to citizens regarding the non-use of water from the water supply network for human use.

EODY recommends the continuation of non-use of drinking water for human consumption and the strict observance of personal hygiene measures, to avoid the secondary transmission of the disease. The water is recommended to be used exclusively for toilet use and not for washing food, food preparation or personal cleaning. If it has to be used, it should be boiled at 100 degrees for at least 3 minutes.

The EODY, in collaboration with the DDY of the Magnesia Region, have given the appropriate instructions to immediately start the sanitation of the water supply network, which concerns both boreholes, reservoirs (cleaning, disinfection, superchlorination) as well as the flushing of the regional network. Checks on the water supply network will be daily until the water quality is fully restored.

The investigation is ongoing. A team from the EODY and the PEDY of Thessaly went to the PE of Magnesia on 3/6/24 for an on-site epidemiological investigation, while an analytical epidemiological study has been launched in order to fully investigate the phenomenon”.