The Battle Against the Norovirus Outbreak: How Torri del Benaco is Combating a Rapid Spread on Lake Garda

Since the start of summer holidays, Torri del Benaco, a popular tourist spot on Lake Garda in Italy, has been grappling with a significant outbreak of norovirus. Over half of the town’s 3,000 residents have been affected, with over 300 people requiring hospitalization. The virus has escalated rapidly in recent days and is believed to have primarily spread through the drinking water.

Mayor Stefano Nicotra has taken precautions to prevent further complications by prohibiting residents and tourists from using tap water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. However, food could also be a source of infection. The high water levels of Lake Garda have put pressure on the sewage system, possibly leading to contaminated water entering the lake.

To address this issue, safe drinking water is being delivered from neighboring areas via large trucks to prevent any further complications. The city services are treating all water pipes with chlorine to eliminate bacteria and viruses. The hope is that this treatment will alleviate some of the problems introduced by the outbreak and that decreased rainfall will lower Lake Garda’s water level over time. Unfortunately, this is the highest the water levels in Lake Garda have been since 1977.