§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people have been affected by the impure water supply in Oxfordshire.
§ Mr. HowardThe diarrhoeal illness cryptosporidiosis is caused by the organism, cryptosporidium, which is widespread in the environment. It is not therefore known how many of the 69 people so far identified this year as affected by the illness in Oxfordshire were infected through the water supply. However, as the organism was positively identified in the water supply to areas where there was a higher incidence of the illness than normal, precautionary advice was given that water to be used by children under two and immuno-compromised adults should be boiled for one minute.