Local New York Beach Closed due to Elevated Levels of E.coli
Just today the locals of Plattsburgh City received a notice about their beloved beach: its beautiful waters are not safe to swim in at the moment. Luckily, this isn’t permanent, as swimming has only been prohibited temporarily due to findings of elevated levels of E.coli. Health officials received the results of the water quality test samples taken yesterday this morning, and ever since, have been working to make sure that the beach will reopen soon.
Lucky for Plattsburgh’s residents and tourists alike, the beach itself remains open, and the areas in which swimming is still allowed, lifeguards and health officials are monitoring its waters closely. Per the request of Clinton County Health Department (CCHD), city staff are testing the beach waters every two weeks while it remains open, from May to September.
This is extremely helpful, national infectious disease attorney Tony Coveny corroborates, “As the cleanliness and health of a body of water can change quickly. This is due to many different factors, including algae blooms and storm run-off, just two common factors. It is important that it is closely monitored to safeguard the public. Remember, E. coli cannot be seen, smelt or felt so t is a silent, dangerous adversary.”
City and CCHD officials are working in tandem to ensure the safety of the public on this issue, and will not permit the public to swim in the contaminated areas of the beach until a water test-quality sample comes back spotless.
Although it may seem like it, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Due to global warming, (in other words, constantly-rising temperatures all over the globe) bacteria has become much more widespread and dangerous. This is due to the fact that warmer temperatures allow the bacteria to thrive, growing much quicker than they would in colder temperatures. This is also why the number of food poisoning cases, in bacteria such as E.coli or Salmonella, are much more common during the summer season.
This is further proven by recent studies out of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. These studies have shown that the amount of bacteria in these bodies of water have increased dramatically in recent years, very much due to the also rising temperatures of our planet. This makes it all the more important to be constantly testing these frequently visited bodies of water that are open to the public, so officials can prevent illness, or in rare cases, hospitalization or death.
Some common symptoms of E.coli include diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever. It is important that the person contacts their local health provider, especially if the symptoms persist or continue to worsen.
