Hopes that Galway's water contamination crisis might be easing suffered a setback this evening with the news that the number of laboratory confirmed cases of cryptosporidiosis has increased.
It is the first time in four weeks that this has happened.
The Health Service Executive also revealed that 40 people, 24 children and 16 adults, have been admitted to hospital with the debilitating stomach illness since the beginning of the outbreak in mid-March.
Three of the most seriously ill children were transferred to hospitals in Dublin.
There were 15 cases last week as opposed to nine new cases in each of the two previous weeks.
The HSE says it is essential for people to continue to boil water before drinking it or using it for food preparation.
It also said that it will be July at the earliest, and possibly much later, before it is safe to use it again.
