Now at the end of November, it is exactly 12 years since thousands of residents in Östersund suddenly became sick to their stomachs. Through measurements, the cause was found to be that the parasite Cryptosporidium had spread in the drinking water.
In total, upwards of 30,000 were affected, of which 65 were so severe that they required hospital treatment, and for almost three months residents had to boil their drinking water.
Intestinal diseases more common
New research shows that chronic, inflammatory bowel diseases have become more common in the Jämtland-Härjedalen region after the outbreak. Among people over 40, the risk of being affected has increased by 70 percent. For Crohn’s disease, it has doubled, and for Microscopic colitis, the risk has become as much as six times greater.
In the player above: This is how it is believed that the parasite began to spread