(Little Rock) – Three cases of severe diarrheal illness have occurred in Saline County this month and have been linked to swimming in the Saline River near the Highway Five Bridge. The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) has tested water from the area and found it to be unsafe for swimming.
According to Dr. James Phillips, Infectious Disease Branch Chief at ADH, summertime weather can contribute to the risk of infection, because water in the rivers, lakes and coves moves more slowly or doesn’t circulate as much, and the warmer temperatures encourage the growth of bacteria like E. coli <
“We are posting warnings on this particular stretch of the river, but people need to know that swimming in rivers, lakes and streams anywhere in the state can be dangerous to your health,” Phillips said. “Parents need to understand the risk to small children, and how to prevent recreational water illness.”
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/ecoli_o157h7/>.
