Three arrested over N.Macedonia water supply-linked mass poisoning

Three people were arrested Monday over a mass poisoning in North Macedonia, allegedly caused by contaminated river water entering a town's drinking supply amid high temperatures, officials said.

More than 3,100 people have been treated for poisoning symptoms in Gostivar, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) southwest of Skopje, according to health authorities.

Officials declared an epidemic in Gostivar on Sunday, after surge of gastroenteritis cases over the past week. Health Minister Saso Klekovski said four people had been hospitalised.

On Friday police said they were investigating the cause but believed the local water company may have pumped wastewater directly into the town's water supply.

The director of the local water supply company and two employees were arrested Monday on suspicion of "polluting the water in Gostivar's pipeline", a police statement said.

Klekovski and prosecutors did not immediately reveal the water sample test results.

"The water is something that connects all this cases, which has to be confirmed by the results", Klekovski told a press conference.

The health crisis comes with temperatures rising above 35C.

The national food and veterinary agency banned had banned the use of the water since Friday despite not having the results of the tests.

Gostivar residents were advised to use bottled water while the government announced it would deliver 50,000 litres of water to the town daily.

Seven days after the first cases were reported, Gostivar mayor Valbon Limani ordered the establishment of a crisis headquarters to address the issue.

The interior ministry said it was working to "fully clarify the case" but that polluting drinking water could be considered a crime.