January 2 Thousands face water restrictions

You can catch it so easily. First your hair starts thinning, a little at first, most didn't notice. Then there's a change in the aroma of the afflicted person, a ripening smell, similar to bananas left too long in the sun. That's the accepted simile, the one the papers are using. Even the health council has been forced to acknowledge the catchy name 'banana flu' with its more grown up 'Musa Influenza'. There was once a time, not so long ago, when only eggheads knew that bananas are part of the Musa species of fruit but now it's as much part of the everyday world as knowing we walk on two legs.

The disease seems to have been contained mainly to the border villages but it's unlikely this will last as we are still in the very early stages. Restrictions to the water supply have today been announced, the authorities say the disease may have been spread through the filtration network but there is a growing feeling we're not being told the full story.