For the thousands of Argentine tourists who chose to spend the summer in Florianópolis this year, an unexpected problem arose.
More than half of the beaches in the State of Santa Catarina
are not suitable for bathing
and the health authorities reported an
"epidemic" of diarrhea
, both among tourists and local residents.
In the first ten days of 2023,
more than 1,250 cases of people
who attended health centers with this clinical picture were reported.
The health authorities admitted that they still do not know the causes, but the suspicions are focused on the
contamination of the sea due to the flood of tourists
, which caused the main summer resorts of the Santa Catarina coast to collapse.
Many Argentines who arrived without reservations on the beaches of southern Brazil had difficulties finding accommodation and said that the main beaches of Florianópolis, and the mainland of the state, were
overflowing with travelers
.
The Institute of the Environment of Santa Catarina carries out constant monitoring of water in 237 tourist points.
The latest report revealed that 124 of them had an
Escherichia coli
load
higher than tolerable
.
If only the island of Florianópolis is taken,
57% of its spas are not suitable
for recreational use of its crystalline waters.
This includes some of the most popular among Argentines, such as Canasvieiras, Ponta das Canas and a good part of the English.
Of the 87 locations tested, 50 of them failed the test.
And Brazilian media pointed out that a team from the Applied Virology Laboratory of the Federal University of Santa Catarina is expanding the collection of samples on the beaches of Florianópolis to carry out
viral monitoring
and determine what is generating the gastroenterocolitis epidemic that has filled the guards of the sanitary units.
The intention is that during the next week scientists can have an
overview of the viruses
that circulate in the state capital.
Gislaine Fongaro, professor at the University's Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, said that the teams will also evaluate raw wastewater to understand what circulates in the local population and in the temporary population (tourists).
This summer and despite the change, thousands of Argentines traveled to Brazil.
Photo Andrés D'Elia / Special envoy
The specialists pointed out as
factors for the spread
of viruses and bacteria the existence of deficient or scarce sanitation;
illegal sewers, explosive population growth during the summer season, and rising temperatures during the summer season.
symptoms and prevention
From the Epidemiological Surveillance of the municipality of Sao José, they pointed out that the pictures can also be produced by
poorly sanitized food
and the increase in fecal coliforms in the water.
Until this Tuesday, the Florianópolis health authorities had reported 1,251 cases of
gastroenterocolitis
.
Patients usually go to a doctor for
abdominal pain, dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea
.
The most complex situation occurs in the northern area of the island of Florianópolis.
According to the health authorities, 914 cases were reported there, while the south had 337 cases.
From the municipality of Florianópolis they said that they will ask the IMA for a change in the methodology of the analyzes that are carried out in the spas because they consider the taking of a weekly sample insufficient.
They pointed out that countries like the United States and Australia carry out three daily analyzes to be more precise about the state of the beaches.
In this sense, they said that the resorts of Santa Catarina still suffer the consequences of the intense rains in December, which caused flooding and serious complications on the Atlantic coast.
The state Epidemiological Surveillance Board (Dive) pointed out that acute diarrheal diseases can be caused by
viruses, bacteria and fungi
.
The most common are rotavirus, norovirus, and
Escherichia coli
bacteria .
Risk in the water.
The monitoring found the Escherichia coli bacterium.
Photo Andrés D'Elia / Special envoy
In this sense, they asked the population to
constantly wash their hands
with soap and water, drink safe water, avoid food of dubious origin or that are not refrigerated, not eat fruits with damaged skin, not prepare raw eggs, not bathe in the beaches that are not suitable and mainly avoid places near the mouths of rivers and streams.
Gastroenterocolitis symptoms have been
frequent
for many years in the main tourist centers of Santa Catarina, but this year the cases
exceeded the average for the seasons prior to the coronavirus pandemic
.
That is why the health authorities seek to determine the origin of the disease.
recommendations
The toxicologist and clinician Francisco Dadic maintained that the origin of the "epidemic" of gastroenterocolitis is still not clear, but said that "it is probably due to the high concentration of the bacteria (
Escherichia coli
) in the water and the use of the same space public by the people" sick with the healthy.
In this sense, he said that it is advisable
not to go to public toilets
or in case of emergency, and as an alternative to find the best way to sanitize them before use.
The professional maintained that contagion can also arrive through food that has lost its cold chain or is not well cooked" or due to lack of hygiene when handling it.
In the case of people who contracted the disease, he maintained that the main thing “is
adequate hydration, especially in children, the elderly and sick people.
If fever, severe abdominal pain or bloody poop appears, it is necessary to see a doctor,” added Dadic.
"The sick person must consume a liquid and astringent diet, drink a lot of water to replace the liquids that are lost," he added.
Missions. Correspondent
ACE
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