I've blogged before about the unusually high and increasingly serious issue of stomach bugs in Southlanders and the situation has worsened, as reported in the ST today under the title "Tummy bug cases in southern rural areas a concern."
Several years ago a microbiologist Mr Hutchison of Lumsden wrote a number of letters to the Southland Times warning that this worrying trend toward serious stomach illness would occur and was the result of the intensification of dairying in the region.
Today's report says, amongst other things, that:
"Reported cases of campylobacter and salmonella have jumped more than 450% this month compared with November 2009.
Seems Mr Hutchison may be right.
Young children are suffering most, especially those who come in contact with land that has farm animals on it.
When we consider the economic benefits to Southland through dairying, are we thinking also of the effect on our health?
We should do.
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