Torri del Benaco, a picturesque town on Lake Garda, is in the grip of a serious norovirus outbreak. About half of the population, more than 1,500 people, have been affected by the viral gastroenteritis.
Facebook / Municipality of Torri Del Benaco
Hundreds of people have had to be hospitalized, putting local authorities in a difficult situation, unable to manage the high number of cases, reports “La Repubblica”. The mayor of the village, Stefano Nicotra, has asked the city of Verona for help to maintain the local infrastructure.
The exact cause of the outbreak remains unknown, but contamination of drinking water is strongly suspected. The municipality has banned the use of tap water for drinking and cooking. To alleviate this situation, large quantities of bottled water have been delivered to Torri del Benaco.
Heavy rains to blame?
Water pipes have been treated with chlorine to eliminate bacteria and viruses. The municipality has published photos of trucks delivering pallets of drinking water and has called on citizens to wash and disinfect their hands regularly.
Norovirus, known to cause highly contagious gastrointestinal infections, spreads rapidly from person to person. There is no vaccine against the virus, making communities such as barracks, shelters and hospitals particularly vulnerable. However, it is rare for an entire community to be affected.
The recent heavy rains could be a trigger for the outbreak. Lake Garda, the source of drinking water for the municipality, is currently experiencing a higher than normal flow. The level in Peschiera, south of the lake, recently reached 1.46 metres above the hydrometric zero point, a value not seen since 1977. It is possible that the sewage overflowed into the lake due to the overloading of the pipes.
