The presence of heavy metals in water is suspected, in quantities greater than those tolerated by the human body.
Environmental pollution is positioned as one of the most pressing issues facing humanity in this century, requiring political decisions to face it.
In particular, water pollution from heavy metals, caused by human interventions in ecosystems and biodiversity, has a dramatic impact on human health as a result of poor environmental management.
In the canton of El Oro, Santa Rosa, hundreds of people have sought medical attention since early Thursday morning for showing signs of poisoning. Children and adults have come to hospital and health centers with abdominal pain and vomiting. Until yesterday morning, 1,128 had been treated drunk.
Given the suspicion that the mass poisoning was caused by the consumption of drinking water, the mayor of the city ordered the factory to be closed and the quality of the product examined.
The water service has already been reinstated for cleaning and citizens were asked not to take the liquid until the results of the analysis were obtained, so water is brought in by tankers.
The presence of heavy metals in water is suspected in quantities greater than those tolerated by the human body, but this should be determined by laboratory analysis. Meanwhile, the Emergency Operations Committee (COE) declared the Santa Rosa canton in a sanitary emergency, the prosecution opened an investigation process in this regard, starting with taking samples of the water for analysis, and the National Regulatory Agency, Control and Sanitary Surveillance (Arcsa) deployed technical teams to monitor compliance with sanitary regulations in the Santa Rosa water treatment plant.
It is hoped that with so many control entities involved, the cause of the poisoning can be found, and that this case will encourage municipalities to review compliance with the commitment “to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. guarantees. “(OR)