Bacteria levels are back to normal levels at Eureka City Lake, but the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is asking people across the state to be mindful of water safety after three children came down with E. coli infections earlier this month.
KDHE says the children, all under the age of 10, were infected with the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria after swimming in the lake over the Labor Day weekend. Eureka and nearby locations picked up over four inches of flooding rainfall on Sept. 4, and KDHE says that was a likely contributing factor.
The lake has been within a normal bacteria range since Sept. 15 and there are no advisories or alerts for bacteria or algae at this time.
E. coli symptoms range from severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, with some people developing a mild fever.
KDHE says people should avoid swimming in lakes or streams after rainfall and flooding or runoff events because water picks up anything it comes in contact with, including feces, which can make you sick if you swallow it or cause infections if it touches an open wound.
