Salmonella outbreak in Alamosa linked to drinking water
Story By: Bea Karnes
Source: AP
Nearly three dozen cases of salmonella have been confirmed in Alamosa, with another four dozen possible cases being investigated. State health officials have linked the outbreak to drinking water, with further tests pending.
Residents have been ordered to stop using tap water for drinking or cooking. Boiling water for 15 seconds will kill the bacteria, but health officials advise residents to use bottled water for brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice, cooking, drinking and making baby formula. They say people can use tap water to bathe as long as they are
careful not to ingest it.
Officials say tap water tested positive for bacteria believed to be salmonella but the results have not been confirmed. A state health department spokesman says waterborne salmonella outbreaks are fairly rare. The bacteria are typically spread by
food. City officials will flush and disinfect the water system in the next few days, a process that could take a week or more.
Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach pain. Victims typically recover on their own, but the elderly, infants and people with impaired immune systems may require treatment. Health officials say salmonella can cause death in vulnerable
victims if it's not treated.
