Waterborne illnesses increase by 60% in England, report shows

Waterborne diseases like dysentery and Weil’s disease have increased by 60% in England since 2010, according to new figures published in an article by the Guardian.

The Labour party’s analysis of NHS hospital admissions shows a rise from 2,085 cases in 2010-11 to 3,286 in 2022-23, the article notes.

This increase is attributed to record sewage spills, with raw sewage being discharged for over 3.6 million hours into rivers and seas last year.

Campaigners argue that the increased sewage in rivers poses a higher risk of infections, criticizing the government for ignoring illegal sewage dumping and not taking sufficient measures to hold water companies accountable.