LISTEN: Worried about the E. coli levels in Durban? Janet Simpkins explains...
With E. coli being the reason behind closed beaches, we decided to speak with the Director at Adopt a River Eco Solutions to find out more.
On Friday last week, beaches in eThekwini were reopened to the public.
There had been high levels of E. Coli found in the water, which forced the eThekwini Municipality to close the beaches.
According to Mayo Clinic, 'Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria normally live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Most types of E. coli are harmless or cause relatively brief diarrhea. But a few strains, such as E. coli O157:H7, can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting.
'You may be exposed to E. coli from contaminated water or food — especially raw vegetables and undercooked ground beef. Healthy adults usually recover from infection with E. coli O157:H7 within a week. Young children and older adults have a greater risk of developing a life-threatening form of kidney failure.'
Read more: Kaunda: Water quality at Durban beaches improving
To find out more, we decided to have an expert weigh in on this situation.
Janet Simpkims is the Director at Adopt a River Eco Solutions.
Read more: eThekwini reopens some beaches
We decided to call her and ask what the E. coli situation currently is in Durban.
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