Drinking water linked to 214 outbreaks in 5 years: CDC

Becker's Healthcare March 25, 2024
Mariah Taylor

The CDC found 214 outbreaks and 88 deaths over five years were associated with drinking water.

The surveillance summary, released March 14, used NORS data, into which public health departments voluntarily enter outbreak information, submitted from 2015 to 2020. In five years, 28 states voluntarily reported 214 outbreaks associated with drinking water and 454 cited drinking water as a contributing factor.

Here are six other findings:

1. Of reported outbreaks, 87% were biofilm associated, 11% enteric illness associated, 1% unknown and less than 1% chemical or toxin.
2. Drinking water-associated outbreaks resulted in at least 2,140 cases of illness, 563 hospitalizations and 88 deaths.
3. About 80% of outbreaks...

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