Lake Deaths (not in WDW)

[Pioneer Hall]

Fla. Teen Survives Lake Infection

.c The Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A 15-year-old boy who had been in critical condition after contracting a rare bacterial infection while swimming in a lake was upgraded to fair condition Saturday, hospital officials said.

The boy was swimming July 20 in Lake Talmadge, northeast of Orlando, when a bacteria known as chromobacterium violaceum entered his body through a cut on his leg, officials said.

The teenager's identity was not released.

Dr. Jaime Carrizosa, the infectious disease specialist for Florida Hospital-Orlando, where the boy is being treated, said the teen was fortunate blood cultures identified the bacteria quickly.

Treating the infection as early as possible is essential, he said.

``This kid is coming through,'' Carrizosa said.

A 12-year-old boy died Friday in the same hospital from a rare brain infection he caught while swimming in another group of lakes in central Florida. He contracted primary amebic meningoencephalitis after inhaling some microscopic one-celled organisms, hospital officials said.

His name was not released.

``It's frightening when a tiny little bug can cause such devastation to a child,'' said Dr. Steven Wiersma, epidemiologist for the Florida Department of Health.

Only 150 cases of the amoeba infection have ever been reported, Wiersma said. Only 50 cases of the chromobacterium infection have been recorded.

I KNOW THIS ARTICLE IS NOT RELATED TO WDW, BUT THIS IN A WAY HAS TO DO WITH THE LAKE SITUATION THERE. THIS MAY BE THE REASON WE NEVER SEE RIVER COUNTRY AGAIN.

 

[pheneix]

Isn't RC's swimming hole water filtered anyway?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Originally posted by pheneix
Isn't RC's swimming hole water filtered anyway?

How can they filter all that lake water? It doesn't seem possible.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by DisneyInsider


How can they filter all that lake water? It doesn't seem possible.

a huge air bladder separates the 2 bodies of water

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Originally posted by mktiggerman


a huge air bladder separates the 2 bodies of water

Oh...that's interesting. I didn't think there was a way to do that. So how does Disney keep people from swimming in the water at the resorts? Are there Lifeguards constantly on duty?

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by DisneyInsider
So how does Disney keep people from swimming in the water at the resorts? Are there Lifeguards constantly on duty?

nope... they use signs, and the fact that WDW water is a bit less than appealing to swim in.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Originally posted by mktiggerman


nope... they use signs, and the fact that WDW water is a bit less than appealing to swim in.

That is very true...I wouldn't want to swim in that stuff.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Originally posted by DisneyInsider


That is very true...I wouldn't want to swim in that stuff.

Wait a minute...can you swim in the lake at the Caribbean Beach Resort??? There is a beach there...I thought when it opened up (we stayed there the year it opened) we swam in it...and there were actually a lot of people swimming in it.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Originally posted by WDWFREAK53


Wait a minute...can you swim in the lake at the Caribbean Beach Resort??? There is a beach there...I thought when it opened up (we stayed there the year it opened) we swam in it...and there were actually a lot of people swimming in it.

I think you used to be able to swim in the lakes in WDW, now you can't swim in any of them.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Originally posted by DisneyInsider


I think you used to be able to swim in the lakes in WDW, now you can't swim in any of them.

C'mon Disney...Use some SUPER CHLORINE! Make those "beach front" properties look like it's a tropical area...make the water crystal clear!

 

[Fievel]

Fact is that a lot of these lakes are "man-made" and don't exactly have the best water-flow patterns. That leads to algae, bacteria, and the like living in these waters.

Plus there are massive amounts of water in those lakes. The cost to constanly chlorinate them would be huge.

Not to mention the environmental effect it would have on bodies of water attatched to them. You'd have dead fish washing up on shore everywhere.

 

[Worldphile]

Originally posted by DisneyInsider


I think you used to be able to swim in the lakes in WDW, now you can't swim in any of them.

I know you used to be able to swim in the 7 Seas Lagoon. My wife's family went to WDW in the 70s, and they would swim in the 7 Seas when they stayed at the Polynesian. Apparently, back then, the beach was really used as a beach.

I didn't know that swimming was forbidden now though.

 

[jmarc63]

Originally posted by Worldphile


I know you used to be able to swim in the 7 Seas Lagoon. My wife's family went to WDW in the 70s, and they would swim in the 7 Seas when they stayed at the Polynesian. Apparently, back then, the beach was really used as a beach.

I didn't know that swimming was forbidden now though.

Yes there used to be swimming at Poly on the seven seas lagoon in the 70s, some of you might recall that the Island just accross from the beach had a wave making machine installed there the intent was that you could surf on to the beach just like in the Islands of the south pacific.

Unfortunatly the wave machine never really worked right and when it did they found it eroded the beach at the Poly. Now it sits there as a habatat for the fish. There is a posibility that maybe the water table some how got contaminated with this Bacteria that is dangerous to humans that they never expected and for Guests safety banned swimming in the lakes manmade or otherwise. I am not a lake person myself and everyone should be glad that there are dozens of pools on site to swim in, maybe thats why they have been upgrading the pools in the last few years.

 

[Figment1986]

so is the lake at Caribbean Beach Resort closed for swimming, I remember long ago i stayed their 2 times , way back in early 90s, I remember swiming in that lake, did they close it off to swimming now

 

[STGRhost]

I don't think it's fair to assume that these stories have anything to do with the reason we can no longer swim in 7 Seas, etc. It most certainly isn't the reason they closed River Country. If you read any of the other articles written about these cases, you'll see that both infections are extremely rare (especially the 12 year old). In fact, public health officials are so sure that they are isolated incidents, they haven't closed any of the lakes involved.

 

[bamboo7]

i am fairly sure that they used to allow swimming at the beach at FWC. anyone know if they still do, or if i am wrong entirely?

 

[The Mom]

This was discussed a long time ago, but as I recall, the general consensus was:

1. Yes, swimming was originally allowed in ALL of the "lakes" at all of the resorts (except Epcot and newer resorts...they were never set up that way....it MIGHT have been allowed at Swan & Dolphin...I don't really know) I do remember swimming in the lake at Carribean Beach.

2. There is more than one reason for the pollution, ie many factors came together.
Not enough water exchange.
Fertilizer and pesticide run-off.
Water fowl...ducks and especially geese produce a tremendous amount of, well, ________! (which is full of nasty bacteria and stuff)

Combine all of the above with a climate which is basically warm (and sometimes hot) year round, and you have a real problem.


I can't believe THAT got censored! Honest, it wasn't the "s" word!!! Let me see if I can say poo or caca or maybe #2 !!!

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by WDWFREAK53


C'mon Disney...Use some SUPER CHLORINE! Make those "beach front" properties look like it's a tropical area...make the water crystal clear!

right... and what about the negative inpact on the local wildlife, when WDW chlorinates a lake.... even a man-made lake has somewhat of an ecosystem to it. This is why they have POOLS!