Salmonella found in Southern Colorado city water
It appears city water in Alamosa, Colorado may be contaminated with Salmonella. So far there have been 47 confirmed and 76 suspected cases in the Southern Colorado town. Health officials are investigating whether the outbreak was caused by tainted tap water. The water has tested positive for the bacteria, but final tests results for confirmation have yet to be revealed. It is not known at this time what has caused the Salmonella contamination. Health officials have warned residents to boil tap water for 15 seconds to kill the bacteria, or use bottled water for brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice, cooking, drinking and making baby formula. They said people can use tap water to bathe, as long as they are careful not to ingest it. Currently, city and county officials have set up four centers where residents can get free bottled water or access to safe water, but they are limited to one gallon of free water per day per person. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach pain. Victims typically recover, but the elderly, infants and people with impaired immune systems may require treatment. Untreated, salmonella can cause death in vulnerable victims. Authorities said the first salmonella victim began showing symptoms around March 8.
