Health authorities: epidemiological situation in Gostivar stable; SDSM warns water remains unsafe

The Ministry of Health says the epidemiological situation in Gostivar is currently stable, while opposition party SDSM is urging caution and maintaining that tap water is not yet safe for use.

SDSM raises concerns about water safety

According to the Ministry, health facilities in Gostivar recorded 84 first examinations yesterday. That figure is up from 57 first examinations the previous day, but authorities stress the overall intensity of cases is much lower than at the peak on July 18, when 649 examinations were registered in a single day. Relevant services continue continuous monitoring on the ground.

At a press conference, SDSM representative Maja Borozan said the party's information indicates that water in Gostivar and in more than 50 settlements remains unsafe for use. She added that the network is undergoing hyperchlorination after bacteria were found in some samples.

SDSM warned that the high concentration of chlorine used during hyperchlorination can cause irritation of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract, and therefore argued that the water should not be used even for bathing. The opposition also criticized earlier statements by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Health Minister Sasho Klekovski about timelines for declaring the water bacteriologically and technically safe, saying inconsistent information confuses residents. The party demanded public release of official documents and called for criminal responsibility for those who approved water use if it proves not to be fully safe.

Until the water is officially declared both technically and bacteriologically safe, recommendations remain in force that residents must use bottled water for drinking and cooking. Disinfection and remediation of the water supply network will continue, and municipal water will only be formally cleared after successive clean laboratory analyses confirm safety.

Photo: press material from the event