THE people of Newport have a stark message for their council: 'End the secrecy over the typhoid probe.' It comes as Newport council confirmed that a fifth case of the disease the victim a young woman believed to be from the Gaer is linked to the four previous cases.

Pill residents are angry the council has not confirmed whether Sams Kebab House, which reopened last week after closing voluntarily as part of council investigations, was the source of the outbreak or not.

Newport councillor and AM for South Wales East, William Graham, said there should be a full public statement from the council.

He said: 'That is necessary. I think they are unlikely to say where it occurred because theyve got to be careful, but there must be a full statement.

'They must say we are on to this', and mean it, or people are going to be very concerned. It is grossly unfair to traders to be suspected.'

George Bullock, (pictured), former chairman of the Pill Community Group, said he supported any calls for the findings to be made public 100 per cent.

Mr Bullock said: 'We need it not only for the public, but for the traders. This has hit everybody and secrecy shouldnt be the norm.

'We want to know how far they've got with their investigations because it isnt finished as far as we are aware.' He added that many locals were worried the old Victorian sewerage system might be to blame.

He said: 'A lot of people are wondering if there has been a breakdown in the sewerage system, but we are only the public, not health officers. We need to be told things are safe for us.

'I'm concerned about the public and my family down here, but I'm also very concerned for the traders. There are enough empty properties in Commercial Road and we don't want any more because of traders being driven out.'

Pill councillor Laura Buchanan said she knew no more about the situation than anybody else, but added: 'I'm leaving it to the professionals.'

Newport council says it is confident control measures are adequate.

A spokeswoman said: 'The fifth individual to be diagnosed had been unwell for some time, but out of the country. We are confident this does not constitute a separate outbreak.'

The victim is being treated in hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

The spokeswoman added: 'The council is committed to providing the community with up-to-date information when it becomes available.'