Heartbreak has struck the town of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, after 23 children ranging in age from 9 to 13 were admitted to the Mary-Bell emergency room after becoming seriously ill shortly after Friday’s classes.

Their symptoms included vomiting, sweating, running a high fever and delirious behavior, all of which are eerily similar to illnesses experienced by many others in the area. At least 4 of the children had to be put into medically induced comas while the doctors attempt to find the cure.

This saddening event has brought criticisms of the local water supply, and the dismissal of local government officials as an issue, back to the forefront of local conversation. Late last year an independent team of top researchers tested Mt Pleasant’s drinking water and found that it was 6 times more toxic than that of Flint, MI.

Sheila Westmoreland, Lead Environmental Health and Safety Specialist for the Center for Clean Water Compliance was quoted as saying, “We are collaborating with some of the top specialists in the world in order to eradicate this threat. We have had to sidestep the opinions of several government officials who are convinced that there is nothing wrong with the water. There has clearly been a longstanding issue, they just weren’t willing to generate a budget to address the situation, and now the public is paying the price. The time to address the situation is now. The governing officials of Mt. Pleasant should honestly be ashamed of themselves for not attending to this crucial manner sooner.”

However, the local government continues to insist that the water is perfectly drinkable, and that their tests have shown no such results. Mt. Pleasant Town Hall Representative, Margret Beringer, told Health And Wellness in a brief statement,

“Dear sir/madame,

We respect your concerns regarding this matter. There have recently been multiple inquiries regarding the quality of our central water supply. We would like to take this as an opportunity to dispel any incorrect information that has been circulating and assure everyone, including local and national media representatives, that the water has undergone a battery of tests and is indeed safe for human consumption. We appreciate your concern, but we are eager to put this issue to rest once and for all.

There is nothing wrong with the water.

Best Regards,
Clayton Utah Town Hall Representative
Margret Beringer”

The prognosis of the children is currently grim, and it’s expected that more cases of this sort are likely to be reported in the coming days.

Utah freshman Senator Bradley Kennedy has emphatically denied issues with the towns water supply.  Medical professionals in the area are asking the public for help using the hashtag #takethecure.

All children affected were students at Wayfare Middle School.