The number of cases due to the gastroenteritis outbreak that emerged two weeks ago in the Zaragoza town of Tarazona (about 10,500 inhabitants) now rises to 452 people, one of the largest detected in Spain in recent years.
For now, researchers have been able to determine that the infections are due to the presence of a protozoan (cryptosporidium oocysts) in the drinking water from the Queiles River, whose consumption has been restricted for days. However, they still do not know the origin of the outbreak and keep all hypotheses open, from a spill to being swept away by torrential waters.
After the rapid increase in cases in the first days, the number of infections seems to have stabilized this weekend, with the majority of those affected presenting nothing more than mild diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever.
Prevention measures, such as drinking tap water or using it for cooking or brushing teeth, have been extended to the neighboring towns of Novallas, Torrellas and Los Fayos, where some cases have also been recorded. In addition, the neighboring communities of Navarra and Castilla y León, through whose lands the aforementioned river also flows, have been alerted.
The cysts of this protozoan, which are found in the human or livestock intestine and can contaminate water, were first detected in the feces of those affected and then in the mouth water, from which the analyzes began. from the catchment and later along the river to discover the focus.
This Monday, all public administration agents involved in managing the outbreak met in Tarazona. Afterwards, the Aragonese Minister of Health, José Luis Bancalero, assured that the inspections carried out by members of the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE) and agents of the Seprona of the Civil Guard in the Queiles River almost up to its source have been fruitless. “No spill or illegal activity has been detected,” he assured the media.
The counselor also pointed out that for now all hypotheses are “on the table”, such as the existence of leaks, spills or even that the presence of this parasite has been produced by the effects of torrential rains. “We are not ruling out anything,” he stated, insisting that it is also possible that in the end the focus of the infection will not be located.
Looking at the more immediate future, authorities will segment the river in the coming days to take samples and carry out partial analyzes of its path and try to locate the origin of the outbreak. They have also contacted the ministries of Health and Ecological Transition, from whom they hope that this Tuesday “at the latest” they will respond to them on the recommendations and analysis.
Meanwhile, the affected population has no choice but to continue waiting and use bottled water, since the recommendation to continue restricting the consumption of oral water will be maintained until the results come back negative “serially” in the network.
In this sense, Bancalero has announced that the work of the treatment plant has made it possible to reduce the presence of the protozoan in the collection of water for oral consumption by 24 times, but has warned that this type of infrastructure “is not prepared for the elimination of the bacteria”.
