Hawai‘i Department of Health alerts the public that high bacteria count advisories are in effect for two West Hawai‘i coast locations because of higher than normal levels of enterococci bacteria.
Levels of 254 per 100 mL of the bacteria were detected in water at Miloli‘i and levels of 137 per 100 mL were detected in water at Hōnaunau Bay-2 Step Beach — exceeding acceptable levels at both locations — during recent routine beach monitoring by the state Health Department’s Clean Water Branch, which provides regular beach monitoring and notification through its beach program.
The advisories were issued because the enterococci levels indicate potentially harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa or parasites could be present in the waters at those locations.
Swimming at beaches with polluted waters can make people sick. Keiki, kūpuna and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to get sick or infected.
While swimming-related illnesses can be unpleasant; fortunately, they are usually not serious, requiring little or no treatment with no long-term health effects.
The most common illness associated with swimming in water polluted by fecal pathogens is gastroenteritis.
It occurs in a variety of forms that has one or more of these symptoms:
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Stomachache.
- Diarrhea.
- Headache or fever.
Other minor illnesses associated with swimming in polluted water include ear, eye, nose and throat infections.
Swimmers can occasionally be exposed to more serious diseases in highly polluted waters.
Also, not all illnesses from a day at the beach are from swimming.
Food poisoning from improperly refrigerated picnic lunches can have some of the same symptoms as swimming-related illnesses, including stomachache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
At any given time and place, people are exposed to a variety of microorganisms that have the potential of causing illness.
The high bacteria count advisories are posted at the beaches and will remain in effect until water sample results no longer exceed the threshold level of 130 enterococci per 100 mL.
Visit the state Clean Water Branch website for additional information about each advisory.
Find more information about beach-related illnesses by visiting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website.
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