France: 'Minuscule traces' of coronavirus found in non-potable water in Paris

“Minuscule traces” of novel coronavirus have been found in Paris’s non-potable water but drinking water has no risk of contamination, city officials reportedly said. Non-potable water is not fit for human consumption but can be used for a myriad of other activities such as cleaning streets, toilets, etc. As if now, COVID-19 has infected over 152,894 and killed 19,718 across the French territory.

Water authorities in Paris tested 27 samples of non-potable water collected from around the capital in their laboratories. In the results, they detected tiny amounts of the virus in four samples leading to an immediate shutdown of the network as a precaution, a news agency reported.

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'Drinking water is safe'

Celia Blauel, city’s top environment official, however, asserted that drinking water was supplied from a totally "independent supply" and could be consumed without any risk. On the other hand, non-potable water, which is drawn from the Seine river and the Ourcq canal, is used for a multitude of things like cleaning city streets, watering city’s parks and gardens as well as supplying to ornamental fountains. Blauel, reportedly continued that the city of Paris was consulting the regional health agency for risk analysis before deciding on how to proceed.

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France's Prime Minister reportedly said the country was starting to beat back the coronavirus as the outbreak's death toll approached 20,000 on April 19 while new hospitalisations continued a slow decline. France has reported 395 deaths from COVID-19 in 24 hours, the government announced. But in a positive sign, the number of people in hospital declined for the fifth day in a row to 30,610, a small decline of 29, top health official Jerome Salomon told a televised press conference on Sunday. As of now, 5,744 people were in serious condition and there were 96,598 active cases of COVID-19. 

(Image Credits: AP)