In total, 656 people, or 13% of the inhabitants of the communes of La Seauve-sur-Semene and Saint-Didier-en-Velay declared "symptoms characteristic of gastroenteritis (abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and fever for some of them) most of the time with a resolution within 24 hours », indicate in a joint press release the ARS, the prefecture of Haute-Loire and Public Health France.
"The hypothesis of contamination of the water network"
"The significant number of sick people whose sole exposure is through consumption of the distributed water" in these municipalities "points towards the hypothesis of contamination of the water network", they add.
During the survey conducted by Santé publique France from September 3 to 10, 191 people (including 145 sick people) reported having noticed a problem with the quality of the water distributed (abnormal color, taste or odor) during the month of August, and most of them in the last week of August.
The rapid decrease in the number of cases from September 2 points towards contamination "probably a one-off incident that occurred in the last days of August."
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From now on, water "can be consumed safely"
Analyses carried out since then show "compliant results" and water "can be consumed safely", assure the ARS and the prefecture. Analyses are underway to identify the germ(s) at the origin of this epidemic.
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However, it is " likely " that these germs can “cause secondary cases of gastroenteritis through human-to-human transmission”, warns the ARS which recommends compliance with certain hygiene rules such as hand washing.
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