Capitola Beach Closed Over E. coli O157 Outbreak That Sickened Nine Children
Capitola Beach, in the city of Capitola in Santa Cruz County, California, has been temporarily closed. Santa Cruz County and the City of Capitola jointly announced on November 10 that the beach would close after nine Bay Area children were infected with E. coli O157, with exposures believed to be linked to the beach and surrounding waterways, as public health officials investigate the source. As of November 12, the closure remained in effect and no reopening date had been announced.
The Santa Cruz County Public Health Division said it has been notified of nine cases of E. coli O157 infection, all of them children: four are Santa Cruz County residents and five are residents of other Bay Area counties. All nine cases are linked, indicating a common source or related exposures, and officials determined that all exposures likely occurred at Capitola Beach or in surrounding waterways. The source of the outbreak remains unknown.
Santa Cruz County Health Officer Lisa Hernandez told reporters on November 11 that two of the children had been hospitalized and one developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication. All nine children have since recovered, and no deaths were reported.
Environmental sampling has been conducted at four locations in and around Soquel Creek and Capitola Beach: an upstream location near Nob Hill, the jetty, Soquel Creek Lagoon and the flume where the creek's water enters Monterey Bay, and additional E. coli testing is planned. According to the county health officer, soil, water and other samples have been submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for testing. The County and City are coordinating closely with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the CDC.
Officials advise residents and visitors to stay out of the water within the posted closure area, avoid drinking untreated water from creeks, lagoons or other natural waterbodies, avoid swimming with open wounds and shower after contact with natural waterways, keep pets out of potentially contaminated water and give them clean drinking water, and follow posted closure signs and public health advisories. The City of Capitola said the Esplanade, the shop-lined area beside the beach, remains open.
E. coli O157 can cause severe gastrointestinal illness, including diarrhea that may be bloody, abdominal cramps and vomiting, and some infections can lead to serious complications, particularly among young children. Anyone experiencing concerning symptoms should contact a health care provider, and people with bloody diarrhea or signs of dehydration should seek prompt medical attention. The beach will remain closed pending further assessment, and the public will be notified when conditions allow it to reopen. Health officials said this outbreak is being investigated separately from the E. coli outbreak tied to a pumpkin farm in San Luis Obispo County, and no connection between the two has been found.
Source: Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：Capitola 海滩与海滨的彩色 Venetian Court 小屋（资料图）。摄影：Don DeBold，CC BY 2.0，取自 Wikimedia Commons。 / Image: Capitola Beach and the colorful Venetian Court cottages on its shore (file photo). Photo by Don DeBold, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
