Salmonella cases grow in Alamosa
Story By: Bea Karnes
Source: AP
Colorado officials are scrambling to find an alternate water supply for residents while the water system is flushed following an outbreak of dozens of cases of salmonella.
Flushing of the system was expected to start Friday afternoon, but that's been pushed back. Authorities say that's because once flushing begins, even boiling the water won't make it safe to drink.
Colorado Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ned Calonge says an epidemiologic analysis indicates the municipal water system is the source of the outbreak. There's still no word on how the water became contaminated.
State health experts say there are 138 suspected cases of salmonella. Of those, 47 have been "laboratory confirmed," and seven of those have required hospitalization.
The illness has affected people ranging in age from under a year to over 80.
