Cryptosporidium outbreak in UK town as 'hundreds' fall ill with sickness and stomach pain

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A health alert has been triggered as numerous people in a UK seaside town fall ill with suspected cryptosporidium, described as causing the 'worst sickness and stomach pain'. 'Hundreds' of Brixham, Devon residents have reportedly fallen ill, based on multiple posts on social media.

Individuals are said to be experiencing symptoms including severe watery diarrhoea, extreme stomach pains, vomiting or nausea, mild fevers, and an absence of appetite.

These conditions tend to persist for one to two weeks. The investigation into this possible outbreak is being led by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), but they have yet to confirm the specifics regarding the outbreak, Devon Live reports. Read more: Drunk passenger on board Turkey flight to Manchester Airport threatened to 'chin' EasyJet cabin crew On the other hand, South West Water (SWW) has stated that all water quality tests in Brixham have shown clear results.

Cryptosporidium is a parasite found in the intestines and faeces of infected humans and animals, which can be spread through means such as swimming in or drinking contaminated water, or consuming tainted food.