NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) — Splashing through puddles may seem fun and harmless at first glance, but it’s a health risk that could hurt.
Right now, specifically, health officials want to remind parents not to let their children play in flood or standing water. It can expose them to infectious diseases, chemical hazards, and injuries.
Some of the risks of being in flood waters include diarrheal disease and Vibrio vulnificus, a type of bacteria that belongs to the same family as the bacteria that cause cholera. Vibrio vulnificus can be found in warm salt water and causes people who eat contaminated seafood or swim with an open sore or wound to become infected from the water where the bacteria is present.
Larry Hill with the Virginia Department of Health said swimming in flood water is a danger that could take a turn for the worst.
“Sometimes the infections could be so serious you may lose a limb, you get extremely ill or sometimes in extreme cases, somebody could die from it,” said Hill.
In some cases, flood water can even contain sewage.
“Runoff brings a lot of chemicals into the water, like fertilizer or feces from animals. That's part of the reason you don't want to be in the water, to begin with,” said Hill.
Children are especially vulnerable to the dangers of playing in the flooded water. They may not realize they have a cut or wound and they could contract an infection without realizing it.
"With children, you have to be especially careful with it because they could easily fall in and drink it or there's a possibility that the children could actually drown," said Hill.
If you’re in a situation where you’ve been exposed to water that may be contaminated, health officials say you should rinse yourself off with soap immediately after. Furthermore, kids toys that have been contaminated by flood water also pose a danger. They should be disinfected before being used.
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