A water reservoir at an apartment complex in Nghe An Province is contaminated. Photo by Read/Hung Le
59 residents of an apartment complex in central Nghe An Province exhibited symptoms of poisoning after contaminated water leaked into the building’s water supply, officials said.
Nguyen The Tung, director of the Vinh City medical center, on Tuesday said one of the two groundwater reservoirs at the Golden City 3 apartment complex had developed multiple cracks. He suggested that polluted water from the surrounding environment likely seeped into the reservoir during heavy rainfall in mid-September.
Between Sept. 25 and 26, 59 residents from 36 households in the complex reported symptoms including stomachaches, vomiting and low blood pressure. Four individuals, who experienced more severe symptoms, were taken to medical facilities but have since been discharged. Residents suspected the water supply was the source of the health issues.
Tests conducted by the Nghe An Center for Disease Control on the water from the compromised reservoir revealed microorganism levels hundreds of times higher than acceptable standards. Harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Coliforms, known to cause food poisoning symptoms like stomach pain and diarrhea, were detected in the samples.
The damaged reservoir has been shut down pending repairs by the building’s management, Tung added.
The Golden City 3 apartment complex is home to 105 families, with around 400 residents.
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