NORFOLK, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health has lifted the swimming advisory for one Ocean View beach Wednesday.
Health officials issued the advisory for Captains Quarter Beach Tuesday after bacteria results were said to exceed safe levels. As of Wednesday, the advisory is no longer in effect.
Recreational waters are monitored for bacteria routinely during the summer swimming season, using indicator organisms such as enterococci, the indicator of choice for estuarine and marine waters.
Enterococci are a group of organisms used to determine the amount of fecal contamination of recreation water. They do not cause illness, but research shows when enterococci are present, other disease-causing organisms may be as well.
People swimming or playing in waters with bacteria levels higher than the standard have an increased risk of developing gastrointestinal illness.
