Following another outbreak of E. coli in Byureghavan, the NCDC has urged villagers to temporarily stop using tap water

ArmInfo. The National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) of the Armenian Ministry of Health has called on residents of Byureghavan to temporarily refrain from using tap water, including for cooking.

The NCDC press service responded to new cases of residents being hospitalized after using tap water. Specifically, the Armenian Ministry of Health reported that on September 6, six citizens presented with complaints consistent with an intestinal infection. Three of them, according to the source, are receiving care in the infectious diseases department, while the others received outpatient medical care. "Today, our specialists from the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, together with Veolia Djur CJSC and the Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspection Department, will again collect samples both at the residences of those seeking medical care and at other addresses in the city. Biospecimens will also be analyzed. "Additional information will be provided after the results of laboratory and epidemiological studies are summarized," the Ministry of Health reported.

Regarding the new cases of intestinal infection, former Justice Minister and former Vice Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Arpine Hovhannisyan wrote that this is a disgrace and a manifestation of a cynical attitude towards its own citizens. She noted that this is the third case in four months. "And this is no longer an accident or an isolated incident. This is a shameful situation that indicates a deep-seated problem," the former minister emphasized.

She noted that Veolia Jur bears direct responsibility for the quality of the water supply, while the political responsibility for monitoring and the current situation rests with the Government of the Republic of Armenia. "When Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, on the one hand, states that water problems exist in all populated areas, and on the other, concludes that the price must be raised, I ask: what kind of water are you going to raise the price for? The kind of water that has led to people being hospitalized for the third time in four months with symptoms characteristic of an intestinal infection?" Hovhannisyan lamented.

She called on Byureghavan residents who were affected by this incident or hospitalized to contact her, declaring their readiness to immediately organize water sampling and conduct an independent laboratory test. "During the previous incident, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention recorded water-related violations. However, Lasmed LLC, authorized by the inspection body to conduct water sampling, did not have the appropriate accreditation. And no one was held accountable for this. This time, in parallel with the state investigations, we will also conduct our own sampling. Because a third case in four months means there is a problem that they either cannot detect, are unable to solve, or do not want to find," the former Armenian minister stated.

In conclusion, Hovhannisyan stated that their class action lawsuit against Veolia Jur is in its final stages and concerns general water quality indicators. "These cases in Byureghavan already contain specific signs of poisoning and must be examined separately, documented, and supported by evidence so that the affected residents of Byureghavan can also protect their rights," the former minister concluded.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time that people have reported poor water quality and hospitalizations due to intestinal infections. On July 17, the Armenian Ministry of Health announced that the national ambulance service received a total of 15 calls overnight. Later, former Justice Minister Arpine Hovhannisyan reported that she periodically tested the water supplied by Veolia Jur. According to her, it became known that during the summer period, when water becomes scarce, the company began mixing it with artesian water, which has high hardness. Thus, as the former head of the Armenian Ministry of Justice noted, this indicator exceeded the permissible level established by the Ministry of Health in various settlements across the country. Veolia Jur issued a statement regarding the situation, assuring that the drinking water supplied to consumers is under continuous 24-hour monitoring and meets the necessary standards. However, despite this, residents continue to face water problems, including deterioration of their health.