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5 months ago
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A child contracted the rare infection Weil's disease after going swimming in an Essex river, a council has said.
Dedham Parish Council said the local student 'suffered a severe infection after swimming in the River Stour at Dedham, and has been very poorly'.
In a letter published on its website, the authority said it was a 'confirmed case of Weil's disease (leptospirosis) which can be very serious'.
The disease is spread in the urine of infected animals, most commonly rats, mice, cows, pigs and dogs.
People can contract Weil's disease if soil or freshwater, such as water from a river, that contains infected urine gets in their mouth, eyes or a cut.
In 2010, Olympic rowing champion Andy Holmes, who twice partnered Sir Steve Redgrave to gold medal triumph, fell victim to it.
The river is a popular spot for rowing (file picture)
Cows graze in meadows along the picturesque waterway (file picture)
The river was most famously depicted by John Constable in his painting The Hay Wain
The 51-year-old was said to be in superb physical condition but became unwell after competing in a 26-mile sculling marathon at Boston, Lincolnshire.
Most people who get Weil's disease have no symptoms or mild flu-like symptoms, but some people get seriously ill, according to the NHS.
Symptoms may include high temperature, headache, body aches and pain, stomach ache, feeling or being sick, diarrhoea, redness in the white part of your eyes and yellowing of the skin or white part of the eyes.
People who may have been exposed to infected urine and are displaying symptoms are advised to see a GP.
The River Stour straddles the Suffolk and Essex border and has been painted by the artists John Constable and Thomas Gainsborough.
Dedham Parish Council said the Environment Agency is undertaking monitoring in the river at Dedham.
The parish council added that local environmental group Pace (Practical Actions for Climate and the Environment) Manningtree is 'investigating the impact of untreated sewage released into the river by the sewage works at Dedham'.
WHAT IS WEIL'S DISEASE AND HOW TO SPOT THE SYMPTOMS
Weil's disease is a form of a bacterial infection also known as leptospirosis.
It is carried by animals, most commonly in rats and cattle.
It can be caught by humans through contact with rat or cattle urine, most commonly through contaminated fresh water.
It attacks the kidney and liver, before making its way through the organs.
The disease can be transmitted through cuts and scratches or the lining of the mouth, throat or eyes.
Symptoms include a high temperature, (usually between 38 and 40°C), chills, sudden headaches, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, muscle pain (particularly in the calves and lower back), conjunctivitis (irritation and redness of the eyes), a cough and a short-lived rash.
Olympic rowing champion Andy Holmes died of Weil's disease in 2010 aged 51, after it is believed the bacteria entered his body through blisters on his hands.
The case comes amid growing anger over the polluted state of England's rivers and coasts.
The council said it wanted to warn, 'in addition to the risks of Weil's disease and pollution', of several other 'serious safety concerns' about a site at the river at Mill Lane.
These include a report that a young boy 'gashed his foot open' last weekend, with litter including glass bottles and cans regularly left in the area and posing a hazard.
There are also reports of metalwork underneath a bridge where many children jump from, and where the water can be 'dangerously shallow'.
Besides the the death of Mr Holmes, a student in 2015 also succumbed to the disease.
Craig Barratt, 16, was volunteering at Northamptonshire Animals Needing Nurturing and Adoption (NANNA) in his spare time when he contracted the disease.
To avoid the disease, British Rowing advises to 'wash or shower after rowing' and 'cover minor cuts and scratches with waterproof plasters before getting in your boat'.
It also suggests: 'Clean open wounds, such as blisters or calf abrasions with an anti-bacterial substance' and 'wear trainers or boots to avoid cutting your feet before getting in'.
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