Copenhagen Residents Told to Boil Tap Water to Avoid E.coli Infection

Residents of Copenhagen have been advised to boil tap water before using it due to suspicions of E.coli bacteria in the city's water supply system. Photo by caminodesantiago.me

Citizens of Copenhagen were warned to boil tap water for at least two minutes before using it after samples collected Friday evening revealed unacceptably high levels of E. coli bacteria.

The local sanitary-epidemiological service has so far failed to identify the source of the contamination, but they suspect that the bacteria came with rainwater that entered into the water supply system during the recent heavy rains.

Consuming water tainted with E. coli can cause short-term vomiting or diarrhoea, according to city health officials.

In the case of prolonged illness after drinking city water they recommend contacting a doctor.

One E. coli strain, Escherichia coli 0104:H4, caused a bacterial outbreak that flared up in Germany in May, claiming more than 50 lives ever since.

Among the alleged sources of the E.coli outbreak were Spanish cucumbers, Egyptian fenugreek and vegetable sprouts grown in an organic farm in Germany.

The media craze surrounding the spread of the bacteria caused a large number of agricultural producers to go out of business or to amass huge losses.

 

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