Norovirus outbreak

Local chief drinks from Lake Garda: “To your health”

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/facebook.com/TradizioneeinnovazioneperBrenzone)

More than 1000 people in a village on Lake Garda have suffered from gastrointestinal complaints - noroviruses have contaminated the tap water and a ban on swimming in the lake was issued for a short time as a result. To reassure locals and tourists, the mayor of Brenzone got carried away with an impressive demonstration: He allowed himself to be filmed taking a big gulp from Lake Garda. 

"Salute!" - in German "Auf die Gesundheit!" - was Paolo Formaggioni's comment on the action, which went viral on social media. His municipality of Brenzone borders the town of Torri del Benaco, where several hundred people suffered from diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and fever after drinking water that was presumably contaminated with norovirus.

The ban on bathing in the affected municipality on Lake Garda has now been lifted and the tap water can be drunk again without hesitation, according to the mayor of Torri del Benaco, Stefano Nicotra.

However, the head of Brenzone is probably still worried that the news could keep tourists away. To show how safe the lake water is, in the short clip he bends down on the shore of the lake - armed with a wine glass - and fills it halfway. He then empties the glass on ex.

The mayor tests the water quality on his own body.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/facebook.com/TradizioneeinnovazioneperBrenzone)

Mayor warns against "excessive scaremongering"
"Torri del Benaco is the municipality that borders ours. There have been no infections in Brenzone, but there is excessive scaremongering on this matter, with unfounded or exaggerated news also being spread by the German media, which has inevitably led to concern among tour operators," Formaggioni tells TG La7.

It is suspected that the noroviruses got into the drinking water due to heavy rainfall. This could have overloaded the sewage system - the use of tap water was therefore strictly prohibited from June 28. Free bottles of water were distributed and tourists were asked to only drink water from the supermarket. After samples from the municipality's aqueduct tested negative for the norovirus, the ban has since been lifted.

The mayor of Torri del Benaco explained that the water in the lake had never been dangerous - the bathing ban was only a precautionary measure. However, he fears considerable damage to the image of Lake Garda.

Pathogen can spread like an epidemic
Noroviruses can spread rapidly and epidemically: "Noroviruses are among the most infectious viruses of all", explained prevention physician and medical journalist Christoph Specht to RTL/ntv. "Tiny amounts of norovirus are enough to become infected." The pathogen can spread through smear infection - i.e. through contact with infectious people or objects and droplet infection (when vomiting).

The symptoms of the disease can be severe: All of a sudden, those affected can suffer from severe diarrhea, nausea and gushing vomiting. The resulting lack of fluids can lead to a feeling of weakness or dizziness. The pathogen can be particularly problematic for older people and children.