Contaminated Water in China Sickens Nearly 500 People

An unfortunate turn of events has caused hundreds of people living in eastern China to fall ill after drinking contaminated water. 

The water caused nearly 500 people living in the area to catch a bacteria that leads to developing diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, per state media on Monday. 

A local water plant has been shut in the meantime. 

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Unclear water

Roughly 300 people in the town of Baoyi, some 340 miles (550 kilometers) west of Shanghai in China, are in hospital due to drinking and handling contaminated water. The other 200 did not have to be hospitalized but suffered similar issues such as fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea per France24.

A report printed on Sunday by the local government stated that they had been infected by the bacteria Shigella, which can cause dysentery. 

安徽 淮南市 寿县 2020年8月21日不明原因發燒嘔吐 据說有200佰多位儿童 医院擠不下了

Shouxian County, Huainan City, Anhui Province, August 21, 2020, unexplained fever in children pic.twitter.com/Yh5amb6iki

— 白七的纪录 (@Fei_Nigh) August 21, 2020

Videos have been emerging on social media with accounts of the hospitals' situation, in which they explain many of the sick are elderly and children. 

In most parts of China, the majority of people rely on bottled or boiled water to ensure they drink clean water as the water system still leaves a lot to be desired in the country. 

China isn't the only country that suffers from contaminated water. Around the world, a number of initiatives are working hard in order to bring clean water to people, such as this solar-powered plant in Kenya, or this system that turns seawater into drinking water.

I hope it won't spread like COVID19. pic.twitter.com/uaG5sGbUWJ

— 白七的纪录 (@Fei_Nigh) August 23, 2020