Search for
Search for
Search forMystery bug hits dozens of victims
Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 15:22
Investigators were called in several days ago after widespread reports of vomiting and diarrhoea among locals and visitors in the Mawgan Porth area.
Numbers affected have steadily risen, with the latest official numbers over 70 and estimates that many more have been struck down.
The outbreak has compounded the woes of this summer's awful weather for holidaymakers and businesses – causing booking cancellations in hotels and guest houses, and badly affecting visitor numbers on the normally busy beach.
Meetings between key health protection staff have taken place and action plans have been drawn up to help deal with the outbreak, which is still ongoing.
Geoff Fish, head of environmental health with Restormel Borough Council, said: "This still hasn't gone away, but all the evidence points to this being an outbreak caused by norovirus – which can spread very rapidly from person to person.
"No single source of the infection has been established but we are advising people to take extra hygiene precautions to help break the cycle."
Norovirus is a stomach bug which causes an illness which may last up to a few days, clearing up by itself.
While no one cause has been identified as the source of the outbreak, locals remain suspicious of the river which runs down to the beach.
Officials have carried out water tests and insist both the river and sea water are of "good quality", but have continued to warn people to stay out of the river.
Mr Fish said: "Any streams which go across beaches will always have a degree of contamination, because the water flow comes from fields with animals in.
"This contamination increases in times of heavy rain, so we are telling people not to go in the river and there are signs on the beach."
The possibility of heavy rain causing sewerage systems to overflow was another possibility being looked at, Mr Fish added, but there is no evidence of this.
Dudley Bennett, who runs the Merrymoor Inn just above Mawgan Porth beach, said the outbreak had caused "serious concern" among locals. "This has had a big effect on some of the local guest houses, and even when the sun came out on Saturday the beach was only a third full – which is very unusual.
"It's clear this has scared some people off, and the locals have some very serious concerns. It's added to an already bad season for us.
"We've had problems with sewage in the river before and a lot of people suspect that's the cause, but we keep being told it's safe."
Those struck down with the virus are advised to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration and to not return to work until at least 48 hours after symptoms stop.
People are advised to wash hands regularly and well to try to avoid getting ill.
Comment on this story