From the NWFL Daily News
Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 6:14 PM
Updated at 6:16 PM
A television newscaster out of Atlanta inspired a frenzy Wednesday afternoon after reporting that the National Weather Service was warning folks to stay out Panhandle waters due to the presence of “really toxic levels of a fecal bacteria,” which he then explained was “flesh-eating bacteria.”The National Weather Service doesn’t issue swim advisories. And local health officials clarified that both descriptions were false.“What (the newscaster) is saying is incorrect,” said Dr. Karen Chapman, director of the Florida Department of Health for Okaloosa County.“Enterococci (fecal bacteria) is not the same thing as vibrio vulnificus (flesh-eating bacteria).“We measure for a fecal bacteria called enterococci,” she continued. “We just alert people to the fact that at the point in time we did testing, there were elevated levels of enterococci.”Although it’s not clear where the weatherman from WSB-TV had gotten his information, weekly beach health reports had flagged six areas of Okaloosa County and two in Walton for elevated levels of enterococci, which is usually found in the intestines of humans and animals.The levels were not high enough to post closure notices on any local beaches, Chapman said.But the television station’s report, which was widely share on social media, was enough to cause some potential visitors to panic.“The tests come and go,” said Ed Schroeder, director of the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council. “It could be poor today but wonderful tonight. We’ve got over 20 miles of beaches and just one short area apparently had some concern for the Health Department.”Although local officials are not concerned about toxic levels of any kind of bacteria, Chapman advised everyone to take normal precautions when swimming.“Whenever you go to swim in a natural body of water, you have to exercise safety precautions,” Chapman said. “But we have not seen any (flesh eating bacteria) in Okaloosa County this year.”
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20...in-local-waters-was-false-local-officials-say
Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 6:14 PM
Updated at 6:16 PM
A television newscaster out of Atlanta inspired a frenzy Wednesday afternoon after reporting that the National Weather Service was warning folks to stay out Panhandle waters due to the presence of “really toxic levels of a fecal bacteria,” which he then explained was “flesh-eating bacteria.”The National Weather Service doesn’t issue swim advisories. And local health officials clarified that both descriptions were false.“What (the newscaster) is saying is incorrect,” said Dr. Karen Chapman, director of the Florida Department of Health for Okaloosa County.“Enterococci (fecal bacteria) is not the same thing as vibrio vulnificus (flesh-eating bacteria).“We measure for a fecal bacteria called enterococci,” she continued. “We just alert people to the fact that at the point in time we did testing, there were elevated levels of enterococci.”Although it’s not clear where the weatherman from WSB-TV had gotten his information, weekly beach health reports had flagged six areas of Okaloosa County and two in Walton for elevated levels of enterococci, which is usually found in the intestines of humans and animals.The levels were not high enough to post closure notices on any local beaches, Chapman said.But the television station’s report, which was widely share on social media, was enough to cause some potential visitors to panic.“The tests come and go,” said Ed Schroeder, director of the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council. “It could be poor today but wonderful tonight. We’ve got over 20 miles of beaches and just one short area apparently had some concern for the Health Department.”Although local officials are not concerned about toxic levels of any kind of bacteria, Chapman advised everyone to take normal precautions when swimming.“Whenever you go to swim in a natural body of water, you have to exercise safety precautions,” Chapman said. “But we have not seen any (flesh eating bacteria) in Okaloosa County this year.”
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/20...in-local-waters-was-false-local-officials-say
