Colorized scanning electron micrograph of Escherichia coli bacteria, grown in culture and adhered to a cover slip. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIAID)
Health officials are advising residents of two Greensboro suburbs to boil their water after a sample revealed it contained E. Coli. Fox 8 reported that the advisories have been issued for Jamestown and High Point, but that the positive sample, in Jamestown, appears to be an isolated case because samples from surrounding areas have tested negative for the bacteria. The two suburbs’ water supplies are connected.
E. coli can lead to lead to gastrointestinal illness or worse, so officials are advising residents to avoid drinking water, as well as using it to make ice, wash dishes, prepare food or brush teeth. They also recommended drinking bottled water instead of tap water.
High Point is continuing to sample its water and water mains are being flushed, the news station reported. The city expects the issue to be resolved in two days.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, depending on the strain, E. coli can cause respiratory illness and pneumonia, urinary tract infections or diarrhea. Individuals who are young, elderly or immunosuppressed are the most at risk of serious illness.
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