Over 500 in South Africa sickened in outbreak linked to poor water quality

JOHANNESBURG -- Over 500 people in South Africa have fallen ill from a gastrointestinal illness that causes stomach cramps and diarrhea, which authorities are blaming on poor water quality in two different cities in the country.Authorities this week issued a warning to communities east of the capital, Pretoria, to stop drinking water from their taps after 408 people including children fell ill and were treated at various health facilities.Like other cities in the country, the capital and its suburbs have long had issues with the cleanliness of the region's water, and it remains a contentious political issue. On Wednesday, city officials were distributing water to residents through emergency tankers, while the charity organization Gift of the Givers supplied the community with bottled water.Most of those who fell ill were children under 4. According to health and city officials, the people fell ill after drinking contaminated water from a water treatment plant which supplies water to several communities east of Pretoria. Authorities confirmed that the water at the plant had not been chlorinated for about three weeks, rendering it unsafe for human consumption. Officials said the muni...