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Number of people affected by drinking contaminated water rises to over 3,300

Xinhua, April 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

The number of people taken ill after drinking contaminated bottled water in the Catalan region of Spain has risen to over 3,300,Catalan health authorities informed on Wednesday.

The number has climbed at around 1,000 in the past 24 hours with those affected suffering vomiting, diarrhea and fever.

The illness is caused by a "norovirus" but the exact source of the infection has yet to be confirmed by health authorities.

The most likely source of the contamination is thought to be the Andorra-based company "Eden Springs Group" which distributes bottled water to around 925 companies in the cities of Barcelona and Tarragona.

The company has retired over 6,000 19 liter bottles which it had distributed of mineral water under the trademark, Font d'Arinsal and temporarily suspended production.

Meanwhile, the government of Andorra has agreed to suspend movement of any water bottled in the Principality since April 7, while carrying out an investigation into how the water was contaminated with the results expected in just over week.

The first cases of sickness were detected on April 12 and 13 and although the number of people affected has risen drastically over the past week, only one person needed hospital treatment. Endit