The Ministry of Health of the Government of Aragon confirmed that the gastroenteritis epidemic detected in Tarazona originated in Castile and León and not in Aragon.
Results from a segmental analysis of the Quailes River carried out last week confirm this.
The presence of the pathogen causing the outbreak in the Quailes River, a protozoan of the genus Cryptosporidium, which exists as cysts in the aquatic environment, has been previously confirmed.
Affected towns include Tarazona, Torreras, Los Fayos and Novaras. Residents of these cities have water restrictions on the water network (they cannot drink water, brush their teeth, and must boil water for at least 10 minutes before cooking). A total of 493 cases have been tallied since the start. Clinically, the patient’s condition is mild, manifesting as diarrhea, and in special cases, vomiting and fever.
Over the weekend, 10 drinking water tanks installed by the Aragonese government through the General Directorate of Interior and Emergency Services in Tarazona, Torreras, Los Fayos and Novalas were filled with water.
Each tank can hold 1,000 liters of potable water and, taking into account the number of inhabitants in each city, one has been installed in each town of Torreras, Los Fayos and Novalas, and seven in Tarazona. Miguel Ángel Clavero, general manager of Aragon’s Ministry of the Interior and Emergency, confirmed that water tanks will be refilled according to the needs of neighbours.
Likewise, Civil Defense volunteers are working with affected town councils to distribute bottles to residents who have limited mobility and are unable to access supply points.
The latest intervention of the General Directorate is another example of the involvement of different departments of the Aragonese government (public health, agriculture, emergencies, etc.) in addressing the outbreak, involving many institutions, from the affected municipal councils to the government. Hydrographic survey of the Federation, Ebro River and National Guard, etc.