CONTAMINATED water has left 13 people with stomach illnesses after two outbreaks of the parasitic disease crypto-sporidiosis.
Up to 6,000 people in Roscommon town and its surrounds have been affected by the bug in the local water supply.
A “boil water notice” has been in place since April 25. The contamination can lead to a gut infection caused by a parasite, which results in a diarrhoea-type illness.
People living and working in the area have been advised by Roscommon County Council and the HSE to boil all water for drinking, preparation of salads and for use in brushing teeth.
Both bodies have set up an Incident Response Team to minimise the risk to the public.
Sales of bottled water have shot up in the area amid concerns that the boil water restriction could remain in place until the system gets the all-clear, which could take several weeks.
FoodWorld 