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| Lancashire homes boil water due to cryptosporidium bug | Lancashire homes boil water due to cryptosporidium bug |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than 300,000 households in Lancashire will have to boil drinking water into next week, United Utilities has said. | More than 300,000 households in Lancashire will have to boil drinking water into next week, United Utilities has said. |
| Routine tests by the company found "low" traces of the microbial parasite cryptosporidium at Franklaw water treatment works outside Preston. | Routine tests by the company found "low" traces of the microbial parasite cryptosporidium at Franklaw water treatment works outside Preston. |
| The alert affects Blackpool, Chorley, Fylde, Preston, South Ribble and Wyre. | The alert affects Blackpool, Chorley, Fylde, Preston, South Ribble and Wyre. |
| Cryptosporidium can cause gastrointestinal complaints such as diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. | Cryptosporidium can cause gastrointestinal complaints such as diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. |
| People with weak immune systems are likely to be more seriously affected. | People with weak immune systems are likely to be more seriously affected. |
| United Utilities said tests showed that traces of the parasite were reducing. | |
| Some customers have criticised United Utilities for not informing customers quickly enough. | Some customers have criticised United Utilities for not informing customers quickly enough. |
| Blackpool resident Robert Parker said local shops had sold out of bottled water. | Blackpool resident Robert Parker said local shops had sold out of bottled water. |
| He emailed the BBC saying he was not given any advice from United Utilities and had drunk several glasses of water before hearing the health warning on BBC news. | He emailed the BBC saying he was not given any advice from United Utilities and had drunk several glasses of water before hearing the health warning on BBC news. |
| "We believe that United Utilities have not taken the issue seriously enough and not made sufficient steps to advise customers. We have an online account with them and haven't received an email, which we thought would be the minimum response." | "We believe that United Utilities have not taken the issue seriously enough and not made sufficient steps to advise customers. We have an online account with them and haven't received an email, which we thought would be the minimum response." |
| "My wife and I need to take regular medication and our only recourse is to now boil water and cool it off prior to use, not ideal." | "My wife and I need to take regular medication and our only recourse is to now boil water and cool it off prior to use, not ideal." |
| Mr Parker said an email eventually arrived late morning. | Mr Parker said an email eventually arrived late morning. |
| What is cryptosporidium? | What is cryptosporidium? |
| Source: Patient.info | Source: Patient.info |
| How does cryptosporidium parasite affect humans? | |
| Kate Brierley from Public Health England said: "There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis. In most cases the symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhoea settle in a few days. | Kate Brierley from Public Health England said: "There is no specific treatment for cryptosporidiosis. In most cases the symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhoea settle in a few days. |
| "However, in a few cases cryptosporidiosis can be unpleasant with diarrhoea lasting for several weeks. It is important to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration." | |
| Bottled water | |
| The NHS trust which runs the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble hospitals said there was no evidence patients had been affected. | The NHS trust which runs the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble hospitals said there was no evidence patients had been affected. |
| A Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said it had issued immediate guidance on the health risk posed by contaminated tap water and had sourced 50,000 litres of bottled water for patients and staff. | A Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said it had issued immediate guidance on the health risk posed by contaminated tap water and had sourced 50,000 litres of bottled water for patients and staff. |
| "We are awaiting further advice from United Utilities before reinstating the use of the mains water supply." | "We are awaiting further advice from United Utilities before reinstating the use of the mains water supply." |
| Cryptosporidium exists in the environment in a form called an oocyst, which is less than a tenth of the thickness of a human hair. | Cryptosporidium exists in the environment in a form called an oocyst, which is less than a tenth of the thickness of a human hair. |
| Traces were found in recent samples of water from Franklaw works, a United Utilities spokesman added. | Traces were found in recent samples of water from Franklaw works, a United Utilities spokesman added. |
| In a statement, the water company said investigations were continuing into how the water was contaminated at the treatment works. | |
| It added that officials were putting cards through letterboxes of affected homes to supplement efforts to communicate the advice via social media, newspapers, radio and TV. | |
| Do you live in the affected region? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. | Do you live in the affected region? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |