This Wednesday, the companies Águas do Alto Minho and Águas do Norte guaranteed the quality of water for human consumption in the public system in the parishes of Vila Praia de Ancora, Moledo and Vilarelho in Caminha, affected by Legionella.
“With regard to the water supply system for human consumption and the quality of the water supplied, both Aguas do Alto Minho, responsible for the lower system (distribution networks), and Aguas do Norte, the organization managing the higher system (collection, treatment) and bodies of water – have implemented strict systems for monitoring and controlling water quality, in the components that make up the water supply system, before entering the networks of consumer homes,” the company said in a statement.
The state-owned companies add that “numerous analyzes are carried out on various water quality parameters using accredited external laboratories, parameters that include periodic testing and quantification of legionella bacteria.”
“(…) In the history of results, both the most recent and for the remainder of 2023, there are no positive results for Legionella pathogens. These results, together with other monitored parameters, as well as careful treatment and disinfection, guarantee the quality and safety of water distributed for human consumption and other domestic needs,” they emphasize.
The company Águas do Alto Minho states that, since it is the organization that manages the water supply system in Baixa, which serves the parishes of Vila Praia de Ancora, Moledo and Vilarello in the municipality of Caminha, “it monitors, in collaboration with the health authority, the situation with the occurrence of isolated positive cases of Legionnaires’ disease among residents of the same parishes in order to identify the cause(s), combat and mitigate them.”
Health spokesman Alto Miño recommended this Wednesday that elderly people in Vila Praia de Ancora “protect themselves” during the investigation into the origin of the Legionella outbreak, which has already infected eight people, dismissing reasons for alarm.
“There is an outbreak in Vila Praia de Ancora. Children are not the target group for this disease. But we recommend that older adults and people with underlying health conditions take shelter. Elderly people with underlying health conditions in Vila Praia de Ancora should stay at home.” This was stated by health delegate Luis Delgado at a joint press conference with the mayor of Caminha.
The official explained that there is “easing suspicion” about the outbreak, but said the “environmental investigation” is focused on Vila Praia de Ancora, a parish of the municipality of Caminha, in the district of Viana do Castelo. , where five patients were identified before this Wednesday.
Cases of Legionella infection have also been reported in residents of the parishes of Vilarelho (one person) and Moledo (two people), as well as in the municipality of Caminha.
Five patients, aged between 54 and 97 years, were hospitalized at the Viana do Castelo hospital, one of them is in the intensive care unit.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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