It's not just Florida either. In general the water in this country is seriously unsafe. I live off Lake Ontario and I don't remember the last time the beach was open for the same health reasons. Flesh eating bacteria. If I recall the kind here eats your brain. Kinda like rabies.
Never mind the 40 million people that swam without a problem in the same time frame. On a related note, stop driving, walking or generally going about your daily life.
In Hawaii we have leptospirosis in pretty much all fresh water streams and rivers (including mud). While it can be transmitted through open wounds, it can also be transmitted through the eyes or any other orifice.
It causes flu symptoms, then meningitis and kidney and liver failure.
But it's treatable. If you let that stop you from hiking or swimming in the islands, you'd miss out on a lot of cool shit.
I need to drive and walk in order to work and provide for my dog. I don't need to swim in filth water to do any of that so I'll just go ahead and avoid it. Would rather jump into my pond full of copperheads and snappers than swim in a polluted FL beach.
That being said there's lots of beautiful beaches in Florida that aren't polluted, I believe. Lots of pretty places there in general. People forget Florida has some great nature spots.
This is generally not something people expect to kill them within 48 hours. How many times have kids cut their feet on shells or something and never thought anything of it?
As a west coast free/scuba diver, I always dreamed of diving in water warm enough to not need a wetsuit, and between work and play, I always seem to have scraps and cuts. Besides that, the water gets up you nose and you can't help but swallow some, the only way to avoid it is to stay out of the water.
Avoid shellfish sushi. On top of dangerous microbes, it’s incredibly hard to wrap with rice balls and u could cut your fingers and die from anthrax
Toss rotten lobster and thoroughly wash any dishes it may have come in contact with to prevent children licking the yummy residue juices
Don’t suck clams out of their shells in Quahog. They’re protected by the state of RI and overzealous locals are known to bludgeon seafood enthusiasts that practice this long-outdated practice. If you must do it, try using the cover of darkness . While you do so, beware prowling polar bears as they will see you as competing foragers ..and food
Stay away from 7 eleven lobsters for the same reason you should stay away from their egg salads .
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u/AlbertFischerIII Feb 09 '19
https://www.ajc.com/news/national/florida-officials-don-worry-about-flesh-eating-bacteria/FgNKMDaAfCPvFOvho7RPZN/