NOS News•today, 6:41 PM
The number of people who became ill after King’s Day in Berkel and Rodenrijs has risen to 918. This is evident from the first results of the outbreak investigation that was started after several reports of gastrointestinal complaints after a visit to the party.
Initially, the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) received 9 reports of people who had become ill after celebrating King’s Day in the village. For example, they got diarrhea or had to vomit. Together with GGD Rotterdam-Rijnmond, the NVWA started an investigation to find out how people became infected.
More than 2,300 people completed a questionnaire about where they had been and what they had eaten and drunk. Of the respondents, 918 people indicated that they developed stomach or intestinal complaints after their visit to King’s Day. No one became seriously ill.
Contaminated food or water
It is not yet known how the people became ill. The only pathogen that has so far been found in “a few people” is the norovirus, reports GGD Rotterdam-Rijnmond.
This is a very contagious virus that is mainly spread through contaminated food or water, or through direct contact with infected people. The GGD is still waiting for more research results.
