E. coli hospitalizations in youngsters tied to Lake Anna in Virginia

Well being officers are investigating after practically two dozen instances of diseases have been reported in Virginia involving individuals, primarily youngsters, who visited the identical lake over Memorial Day weekend.

Some individuals hospitalized have been identified with Escherichia coli (E. coli) infections and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, in response to a June 7 Virginia Division of Well being press launch. All affected visited Lake Anna across the vacation.

Positioned simply over 70 miles south of Washington, D.C. Lake Anna is a freshwater inland reservoir in Louisa and Spotsylvania counties, spanning about 13,000 acres.

USA TODAY has reached out to to Virginia well being officers.

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What’s E. coli?

Based on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, Escherichia coli are micro organism discovered within the setting, meals, and the intestines of individuals and animals. 

Though most bacterial strains are innocent, some strains could make individuals sick and trigger diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory sickness or pneumonia, in response to the CDC.

Fauquier County mom Judy Inglett reported her 15-year-old daughter started struggling GI signs after she visited the lake, and has had blood transfusions and at the very least two rounds of dialysis after being hospitalized, WRC-TV reported.

“She’s going by way of all these items that by no means in one million years would I’ve imagined that my daughter could be coping with,” Inglett informed the outlet. “There’s one thing within the water that is making all these youngsters sick.”