City slams ‘fake news’ of beachgoers hospitalised with E. coli

THE eThekwini Municipality has slammed social media claims of beachgoers being admitted to hospital with E. coli.

In a statement released last night, December 28, the City said a ‘misleading voice note’ was making the rounds on social media platforms, claiming that several people were admitted to various hospitals in the city, suffering from E. coli-related infections.

The City also denied claims that a teenager was hospitalised after swimming at uShaka Beach.

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“The municipality can confirm that the voice note is false and is being used to scare the public from visiting the city’s beaches. The municipality has been in contact with hospitals in the city, including those that are mentioned in the voice note. All the hospitals denied the claims of mass hospitalisations linked to E. coli-related infections. The voice note and the post about the teenager are therefore rejected with the contempt they deserve. They are nothing but attempts to dissuade fun-loving South Africans from enjoying themselves at eThekwini beaches,” said the City.

According to the City, the voice note is part of a ‘relentless campaign’ to direct visitors away from Durban.

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The City further stated that E. coli testing was conducted at uShaka Beach on December 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 20 and 21.

“On all these days, E. coli readings were well below the 500 threshold, thus rendering as fake the claim that the teenager has been hospitalised as a result of E. coli-related infections,” said the City.

In the statement, the City said municipal experts continue to monitor water quality at all city beaches.

“Only those beaches whose water quality is at an acceptable standard are open. Beaches whose water quality is poor are closed, and the public will be advised when it’s safe to use them. The public is reminded that peddling fake news is a criminal offence,” concluded the City.