File under the headline – “After the Cow left the Barn.”
Seriously, who would have thought this place might kill your kid?
BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. – Butte County Public Health (BCPH) is warning residents not to swim or play in areas of Big Chico Creek. These areas include Big Chico Creek throughout Upper Bidwell Park to Sycamore Pool at One Mile Recreation Area. The no-swim advisory for Sycamore Pool remains in effect.
This expanded no-swim advisory follows reports of children being hospitalized after swimming in Sycamore Pool and Five Mile Recreation Area. Patient testing has confirmed the presence of a special species of E. coli called O157, which can cause serious illness, including severe dehydration, hospitalization and possible kidney failure.
Out of an abundance of caution, and after consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health and the City of Chico, BCPH is expanding the no-swim advisory while investigations continue.
“In the coming days, we’ll work with the CDC to test water and sediment at several popular spots throughout Big Chico Creek. We hope this testing will help to ensure future water safety in these areas,” said Dr. Jarett Beaudoin, Butte County Public Health Officer.
How to Stay Safe in Natural Waterways
When swimming or recreating in rivers, creeks, or lakes, always take these precautions:
• Wash your hands before eating or drinking.
• Keep water out of your mouth.
• Be cautious with babies and toddlers—they often swallow water by accident.
• Use properly fitted swim diapers for young children who aren’t potty trained.
• Use restrooms if available.
• Rinse off with clean water after swimming.
• Don’t swim if you have open wounds or have had diarrhea in the past 2 weeks.
• Dispose of food waste in trash containers and never leave food unattended—it attracts wildlife.
• Pick up after pets and throw away waste properly.
William “Bill” Marler has been a food safety lawyer and advocate since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box E. coli Outbreak which was chronicled in the book, “Poisoned” and in the recent Emmy Award winning Netflix documentary by the same name. Bill work has been profiled in the New Yorker, “A Bug in the System;” the Seattle Times, “30 years after the deadly E. coli outbreak, A Seattle attorney still fights for food safety;” the Washington Post, “He helped make burgers safer, Now he is fighting food poisoning again;” and several others.
Dozens of times a year Bill speaks to industry and government throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, China and Australia on why it is important to prevent foodborne illnesses. He is also a frequent commentator on food litigation and food safety on Marler Blog. Bill is also the publisher of Food Safety News.
E. coli: Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $900 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s. We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.
If you or a family member became ill with an E. coli infection or HUS after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark E. coli attorneys for a free case evaluation.
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