Germany Norovirus on Lake Garda - hundreds of people in hospital

Idyllic vacations on Lake Garda are a thing of the past - instead there are toilets, doctors and even hospitals: on Italy's largest lake, which is particularly popular with Germans, a serious outbreak of norovirus is making life difficult for locals and holidaymakers alike.

More than 900 cases of gastrointestinal illnesses have been registered around the picturesque municipality of Torri del Benaco on the northern shore. More than 300 people were hospitalized with symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, abdominal cramps and fever. It is suspected that the virus spreads via drinking water.

In the meantime, the local government has issued a decree that no more tap water may be drunk. It is recommended to buy water from the supermarket. In addition, helpers are distributing free, safe water. Italian newspapers speculate that the outbreak could have something to do with the currently very high water level of Lake Garda following the heavy rainfall of recent weeks. It is possible that the sewage system is overloaded.

There was no official confirmation of such assumptions. On Monday, the local administration continued to try to clarify how the virus spreads. Traces were found in drinking water on Friday. However, according to the responsible supplier Azienda Gardesana Servizi (AGS), more recent tests yielded negative results.

Nevertheless, the all-clear has not yet been given. Mayor Stefano Nicotra continued to recommend: "Do not use drinking water for personal or food use" - i.e. not even for cooking or cleaning food. The municipality actually only has 3000 inhabitants. However, with the start of the summer season, many holidaymakers are currently here.

The highly contagious norovirus causes a sudden onset of severe diarrhea. The symptoms usually subside after half a day to two days. The virus can be transmitted not only via contaminated water, but also via food. However, there was initially no evidence of this in Torri del Benaco.