Three children hospitalized after bathing at Tallinn's Inglirand beach

The Health Board (Terviseamet) is taking new water samples from a beach near Tallinn's ferry harbor after three children who had been swimming in the area had to go to hospital after falling sick.
The water off the Inglirand beach near the Russalka monument can easily get contaminated thanks to its proximity to the harbor and several nearby stormwater outlets.
Inglirand is not an official bathing area, and swimming at that beach is strongly discouraged, the Health Board said.
The water sample results, expected Friday, may exceed the allowed limits for contamination, the board added.

Contaminated bathing water can cause intestinal infections that lead to vomiting and diarrhea, with children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems especially at risk.
The board advises members of the public to be sure of the safety of a swimming area, and to only use official bathing zones.
Assessing water cleanliness can also be done by ordinary observation: Floating objects in the water, murky water or unpleasant odors are all telltale signs of water potentially being unsafe to swim in, while swimming at sites with sewage pipes, harbors and other polluting or industrial facilities should be avoided.
The map here (link in Estonian) shows water quality levels.
With the return of the hot and sunny weather, large crowds of swimmers have still been taking to the water at Inglirand Beach, despite warnings of contamination and a lack of lifeguards and other safety facilities.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte