Thanks to all that have checked on my health . I did fell sick this morning and had to cancel several meetings. UNICEF doctor diagnosed the cause as water pollution. I did not intended to take my solidarity with the people of Basra that far, but certainly now share how you feel. pic.twitter.com/sVISaLzbGB — Ramon Blecua (@EUAmbIraq) October 4, 2018





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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The European Union’s ambassador to Iraq fell ill because of Basra’s tainted water.“Thanks to all that have checked on my health. I did fell [sic] sick this morning and had to cancel several meetings,” Ambassador Ramon Blecua tweeted Thursday evening.Confirming the diagnosis was water pollution, Blecua said he had not intended “to take my solidarity with the people of Basra that far, but certainly how share how you feel.”Tens of thousands of people have been made ill by Basra’s water – polluted by open sewers and salt contamination.Baghdad poured money into refurbishing and upgrading the province’s water infrastructure after deadly protests over poor water, little electricity, high unemployment, and government corruption this summer.On Thursday, the US embassy in Baghdad hosted a meeting of international experts to discuss Basra’s water crisis.