15.07.2021 – 16:43
The National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo (NIPHK) has announced the situation in the Municipality of Deçan, after numerous cases of poisoning of over 1,500 citizens with drinking water.
NIPHK says that after the analysis, some bacteria have been identified that may give an indication for contamination of drinking water.
“In the water samples taken on 12.07.2021 from the region of Deçan, after cultivation in nutrient fields through the technique of identification with MALDI-ToF in the laboratories of NIPHK Prishtina, some bacteria have been identified that can give an indication for water contamination of drinking ”.
According to the NIPH notice, microbiological examinations on samples received from patients with signs of gastrointestinal tract infection are continuing to detect various viral, bacterial and parasitic pathogens.
“NIPHK teams from all regions of Kosovo continue to work in the field, working intensively to find the cause of the epidemic outbreak. The epidemiological situation and sanitation are under constant control by the care teams of the National Institute and any change in the epidemiological situation will result in new recommendations.
NIPHK, in addition to reporting on the measures taken in the field, has provided 10 recommendations to the citizens of the Municipality of Deçan, regarding the use of water.
Increase the control of the Sanitary and Health Inspection to increase the level of case reporting and the accuracy of patient data;
Increase the control of the Sanitary and Environmental Inspection in identifying illegal connections to the water supply network;
In the absence of water from the water supply network, provide hygienic drinking water from the cisterns of the municipal water company, until the situation normalizes in all villages of the municipality of Deçan, regardless of whether or not they have suspicious cases with gastrointestinal symptoms;
Supplying residents with bottled water for drinking and food preparation;
After returning the water to the network, it is recommended that the water be used only for household and hygiene until the new recommendation;
The public water company should strengthen the control and regularly disinfect the water and increase the inspection of water resources, the control of catchments and water wells and in each individual case to intervene immediately as needed;
The water supply system should supply the citizens with hygienic water for regular drinking, to prevent contamination and to prevent water epidemics;
Regional water supply teams to unblock sewerage junctions, find weak points in the network, where water supply water is mixed with sewerage and septic tanks;
Strictly prohibit the connection of wells to the water supply network;
Provide the necessary assistance to all sick patients.
According to the data of the Directorate of Health in Deçan, since Saturday at the Family Medicine Center in Deçan, about 2,000 people have sought help, while hundreds of them have the same symptoms of poisoning.
A day earlier, Kosovo Health Minister Arben Vitia said some samples of poisoned patients in Decan would be tested outside Kosovo.
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