In something that sounds like it's taken straight from the pages of a science fiction novel, researchers have discovered a flesh-eating bacteria lurking in Long Island's waterways.
Scientists from Stony Brook University have identified Vibrio vulnificus at several sites in the tourist hotspot, which can potentially kill people who get infected within 48 hours.
Speaking to CBS New York, Professor Dr Christopher Gobler, an ecologist specializing in marine and Atmospheric Sciences, said that he and his team had found evidence of the bacteria in multiple locations in the area.
He explained: “Bacteria known as Vibrio vulnificus, also known by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a flesh-eating bacteria, is present and a risk in our waters.”
What happens if you get infected by Vibrio vulnificus?
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The professor said: “It’s a very, very serious infection; it gets into open wounds - people who are infected with this bacteria have a 20 percent chance of dying within just 48 hours.”
And it's not just humans who are at risk, as dogs who drink the lake water have gotten sick and even died over the years.
This is not the first time Long Islanders have come face to face with this flesh-eating menace. In 2023, three people died after being infected by the bacteria when it was first detected in Long Island Sound.
The bacteria are believed to have originated in Trump's 'so-called Gulf of America'.
Dr Gobler and his team have reported a worrying spread of the bacteria, which has made its way to several more bodies of water, including Sagaponack Pond, Mecox Bay, and Georgica Pond on the South Fork.
Why is Vibrio vulnificus spreading around Long Island?
Dr Gobler has attributed the spread of the bacteria on the 'perfect storm' of nitrogen runoff, algae blooms and climate change.
Nitrogen run off is a particular problem in the area, with Suffolk County's 360,000 aging cesspools and septic systems bleeding into the region's waterways, causing harmful algae blooms.
The nitrogen from these spots feeds the blooms, which then warm and deplete oxygen levels in the water.
Dr Gobler added: “If someone’s immunocompromised, or elderly, and they have open wounds in summer, you may want to stay out of the water.”
Other areas that could be affected are East Quogue, Southold, and Shinnecock Bay, as they are filled with the dangerous algae that is filling shellfish full of a poisonous neurotoxin, which is said to be 1,000 times more poisonous than cyanide.
It's believed to be causing major losses in the oyster industry.
No deaths have been reported on Long Island since the three who lost their lives in 2023, but researchers have suggested this could change as the bacteria is found in more and more places.
Topics: Health, Climate Change, Environment, Science
Thomas Bamford