Nearly 500 people have been infected in eastern China with bacteria that cause dysentery after drinking contaminated water, state media said Monday, prompting the closure of a local water plant.

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Hundreds of people in the rural town of Baoyi, which is about 550 kilometres (342 miles) west of Shanghai, have developed fever and diarrhoea since late last week. 

According to a report by the local government published Sunday, these people are infected with shigella bacteria. This bacteria is a genus of microbes that can cause dysentery. 

Baoyi’s water supply has been shut down, and nearly 300 people have been hospitalised. 

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Many of the patients were elderly or children, according to the newspaper.

China has faced problems with the safety of drinking water. Even the residents living the wealthiest cities in the country prefer either bottled or boiled water. 

According to Xinhua news agency, China’s Ministry of Water Resources had improved water supply services for 256 million rural residents across the country by the end of July.