At least six people seek treatment as gastrointestinal illness hits Armenian town again

At least six people have sought medical treatment for symptoms of a gastrointestinal infection in Byureghavan, a small Armenian town northeast of Yerevan, with authorities once again indicating that the water supply could be the cause.

The Ministry of Health said Monday that three of the six people are receiving medical care in the infectious diseases department, while the others received outpatient care.

The ministry also said that specialists from the Ministry of Health’s National Center for Disease Control and Prevention conducted water sampling once a week at various addresses in Byureghavan throughout August. No deviations were recorded based on the results of laboratory tests.

“Today, our specialists from the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, together with Veolia Jur and the Health and Labor Inspection Body, will again conduct sampling both at the residences of the people who sought medical care and at other addresses in the city. Biological samples will also be tested.

Additional information will be provided after the results of the laboratory and epidemiological investigations are summarized,” the ministry said in a statement.

There have been cases of mass gastrointestinal illness in Byureghavan several times this year, with one episode in April affecting at least 300 people. At the time, the cause was reported to be contamination of the water supply.