Severe outbreak - Norovirus on Lake Garda - hundreds of people in hospital
From idyllic vacation at Lake Garda - instead Toilet, Doctor and even Hospital: At Italy's largest lake, particularly popular among Germans, a severe outbreak of Norovirus is making life difficult for locals and tourists.
Around the picturesquely located community of Torri del Benaco on the northern shore, over 900 cases of gastrointestinal illnesses have been recorded. Over 300 people came to the hospital with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. It is suspected that the virus spread through the drinking water.
The local administration has issued a decree that no tap water should be consumed. It is recommended to buy water in the supermarket. In addition, volunteers are distributing free water that is safe. In Italian newspapers, it is speculated that the outbreak may be related to the currently very high water level of Lake Garda due to the heavy rainfalls of the past weeks. It is possible that the sewage system is overloaded.
From an official standpoint, there was no confirmation of these assumptions. The local administration continued to clarify on Monday how the virus was spreading. While traces were detected in the water on Friday, the latest tests by the responsible supplier Azienda Gardesana Servizi (AGS) reportedly yielded negative results.
Despite this, there was still no all-clear. Mayor Stefano Nicotra advised, "Do not use tap water for personal or food use" - thus also not for cooking or cleaning food. The community has only about 3000 inhabitants. With the beginning of the summer season, however, there are currently many tourists present.
The highly contagious Norovirus causes a sudden, violent bout of vomiting. In general, the symptoms disappear after half a day to two days. The virus can not only be transmitted through contaminated water, but also through food. However, there were initially no signs of this in Torri del Benaco.
- The severe breakout of Norovirus at Lake Garda in Italy has led to a significant impact on tourism, especially from Germany, as many people are opting for bottled water instead of using the tap water due to the outbreak.
- Health authorities are closely monitoring the situation at Lake Garda after a virus outbreak caused over 900 cases of gastrointestinal illnesses and hospitalized over 300 people.
- Despite initial concerns that the high water level of Lake Garda due to heavy rainfalls might be contributing to the Norovirus outbreak, officials from Azienda Gardesana Servizi (AGS) have reported negative test results, suggesting that the virus may not be spreading through the water.
- The German government has issued travel advisories for Italy, warning tourists about diseases like Norovirus, which has caused a breakout at Lake Garda and may pose risks to travelers.
