The Health Protection Agency (HPA) can confirm it is investigating a recent increase in cases of the gastrointestinal infection, cryptosporidiosis, across four regions in England – the North East, Yorkshire, West Midlands and East Midlands.
To date, 267 cases of cryptosporidiosis have been confirmed in the affected areas since 11 May 2012, compared to 73 cases across the four regions for the whole of May 2011.
Dr Stephen Morton, who is leading the investigation for the HPA, said: “It is usual to see an increase in cryptosporidiosis cases in the early summer, but, the increase is higher than we might expect so we are working with NHS partners, local Environmental Health Officers the Drinking Water Inspectorate and the Food Standards Agency to see if there is a common source of infection.
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