Boil water in effect for several towns in southeastern Mass. due to E. coli, coliform bacteria
A boil water order is now in effect for several towns in southeastern Massachusetts due to the presence of E. coli and total coliform bacteria in the water supply, public health officials said.
Residents in the towns of Abington, Rockland, Pembroke, Hanson, Whitman, and some residents in Hingham, are being asked to boil water before drinking. The order went into effect on Friday.
These towns are directly served by the Abington Rockland Joint Water Works public water supply, Lindsay Wright, director of Public Health and Emergency Management and a public health nurse for the town of Abington, said in a statement late Friday morning.
The only residents in Hingham affected by this order are those on Abington Street near the Rockland line that are connected to Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works, officials said.
'Do not drink tap water unless it has been boiled for at least one minute,' Wright said.
Residents are also being advised to use boiled or bottled water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, and cleaning and to discard any food, ice, or beverages made with tap water before May 14.
'We are taking corrective action and expect resolution within 48 to 72 hours,' Wright said.
Residents 'will be notified as soon as the boil water order is lifted,' Wright said.
For more information, visit the Abington town website and click on the link for the boil water order information.
Anyone with questions may also call the Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works at 781-878-0901.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Foodborne illnesses increase during the summer. A doctor explains how to keep safe
Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. As a salmonella outbreak linked to eggs has sickened 79 people across seven states as of June 5, a California-based company has recalled 1.7 million dozen eggs because of potential contamination, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. This rash of illnesses follows a separate outbreak of salmonella infections tied to recalled cucumbers and the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service issuing a public health alert for raw ground beef products that could be contaminated with E. coli. As summer approaches, I wanted to understand more about these foodborne infections. What are common causes and symptoms? What are possible consequences of salmonella and E. coli infections? Why are foodborne infections more common in the summer, and what are food safety practices that everyone should follow? To help me with these questions, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and adjunct clinical associate professor at George Washington University. She previously served as health commissioner of Baltimore, where her responsibilities included overseeing food safety. CNN: What are the most common causes of foodborne infections? What symptoms do people experience? Dr. Leana Wen: Foodborne infections are caused by pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and parasites. Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States. The virus is implicated in about half of all food-related illnesses, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The pathogen can spread through contaminated food and drink or from person to person when someone touches objects that have been handled by an infected individual and then touches their mouth, or through sharing cups, bowls and utensils. A number of bacteria can also cause foodborne illness. Infections can occur from eating raw or undercooked food. Other illnesses occur due to bacterial contamination in food. Common bacteria implicated in foodborne illness include campylobacter, listeria, salmonella and E. coli. Symptoms of foodborne infections include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Depending on the cause and on the health of the individual, other symptoms may develop such as fevers, bloody diarrhea and dehydration that worsens underlying health problems. CNN: What are possible consequences of salmonella and E. coli infections? How are they treated? Wen: Salmonella most often spreads to people through contaminated food. While most people who fall ill recover quickly with no long-term consequences, some can become very ill. In the current outbreak involving the California-based egg distributor, 21 people have been hospitalized out of the 79 people sickened, according to the CDC. The key to treatment is hydration. Individuals with diarrhea should keep up fluid intake to prevent dehydration. Those who are vomiting and unable to keep fluids down may need to take anti-nausea medications. Most people will get better without using antibiotics, but they may be needed for individuals at risk of severe illness. E. coli lives in the intestines of humans and many animals. A specific type of E. coli is known to cause a serious infection. This strain, called O157:H7, produces a toxin that can damage the intestinal wall and lead to bloody diarrhea. This is the strain implicated in the recent ground beef recall. The specific danger of O157:H7 is that some people who fall ill from it could develop a complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS. This syndrome can lead to permanent health problems such as kidney failure, and in some cases, it is fatal. Individuals who develop an O157:H7 infection should also drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration from diarrhea. Antibiotics are specifically not given for these infections because they may increase the risk of developing HUS. Most foodborne infections can be treated at home. Reasons to contact your doctor include inability to keep down fluids, persistent diarrhea over three days, high fevers and bloody stools. Babies, older people and individuals with chronic medical conditions should have a lower threshold for seeking help. CNN: Why are foodborne infections more common in the summer? Wen: The risk of foodborne illness is higher during summer months because bacteria grow more quickly in warmer weather. In addition, people are more likely to have barbecues and outdoor events that involve food. Inadequate preparation or leaving out food for too long can lead to foodborne illnesses. CNN: What are food safety practices that everyone should follow? Wen: It's important to abide by recall notices. If you have purchased a product that is now recalled, do not consume it. Follow other instructions as directed by health authorities. Keep an eye on not only federal advisories but your local health department, which will inform you of possible foodborne illnesses associated with local stores and restaurants. Follow best practices in food preparation. That includes washing produce such as vegetables and fruits, even if they end up getting peeled. Make sure to cook meat and fish to the recommended temperature. Be aware of what utensils and plates you are using with raw meat and fish, and don't use them for other food items. Remember that bacteria multiply quickly at room temperature. Two hours is the limit for leaving food out before throwing it away or storing it in a refrigerator or freezer. If you are outdoors and the ambient temperature is very warm, reduce the limit to one hour. It's also a good idea to avoid unpasteurized or 'raw' milk and uncooked eggs. Of course, be sure to wash your hands often and well with soap and water. People who have diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps should not prepare food. Those most vulnerable to severe illness, including older adults, babies, and those who are pregnant or have serious underlying conditions, should be especially careful of foodborne illness as they are of other infections.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Hospitals Are Drug Testing Mothers Without Consent, Fueling Family Separations
By junior year of high school, Desseray Wright was already a mother and didn't expect to become pregnant again so soon. The Bronx, New York, teen was juggling raising a toddler and dreaming about becoming a lawyer. Sometimes, she would hang out with her friends and occasionally smoked weed. Then one day, despite still getting her period, she found out she was pregnant. She was more than 24 weeks along — too late to consider an abortion. Because Wright smoked weed for several months into her pregnancy, she told a health care provider during a routine prenatal visit. It would be an admission she'd later regret. After giving birth at a Bronx hospital in 1995, she noticed a bag on her baby's scrotum, and demanded answers. Hospital staff told her her son had been drug tested, but didn't explain why. Then a social worker entered her room, questioning her about marijuana use. Within the first hour of her newborn son Trayquan's life, she had lost custody. 'I was honest and truthful with this lady,' recalled Wright, now 47 and a family defense practice policy advocate for the Bronx Defenders. She explained that back then she believed child protective services were only called when there were allegations of abuse. While some policies have changed since Wright's case nearly 30 years ago, health care advocates and legal experts Capital B interviewed said across the country these types of interventions and drug testing without consent still disproportionately target Black and brown mothers. At the center of the disparities, they say, are gaps in federal privacy laws — including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) — which do not require hospitals to inform patients when they are tested for drugs. Civil rights organizations, including those led by justice-impacted Black women like Wright, argue that these covert tests have fueled a long-standing pattern of criminalizing Black and brown women in family courts and separating families under the guise of child protection. These women turned their personal pain into advocacy, calling for legislation to close HIPAA loopholes to prevent other mothers from being swept into both the criminal and family court systems instead of parenthood. There has been legislation introduced in recent years in states like California, New York, and Tennessee — where women have been prosecuted for using drugs while pregnant — to inform expectant mothers that they and their newborn are being tested for drugs. They also have the choice to opt out of those tests. 'Disproportionate drug screening of Black mothers and newborns, without consent, adds to the excessive surveillance of Black families, and leads to an increase in foster care placements,' according to a May 2024 report released by New York State's Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 'Examining the New York Child Welfare System and Its Impact on Black Children and Families.' Last month, the New York state Senate Health Committee passed the Maternal Health, Dignity, and Consent Act on an 11-2 vote. This bill 'is a clear statement that pregnant people do not deserve to be surveilled or criminalized,' Jamila Perritt, who is an OB-GYN and president & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health, said in a statement after the bill's advancement on May 13. In Wright's case, child protective services required her to attend family court compliance hearings for parenting classes and a drug treatment program — even though, she said, in the 1990s those services weren't designed for adolescents or applicable to marijuana use. After months of juggling two children and long commutes on public transportation from the Bronx to mostly unhelpful referrals across most of the five boroughs, Wright made the difficult decision to drop out of high school to focus on getting her son back. Capital B has reached out to New York's Office of Child and Family Services via email for comment about its policies, but has not heard back as of publication. They did respond on June 10 to say that they do not comment on pending legislation. Advocates and survivors interviewed by Capital B often refer to the combined family, child welfare, and criminal legal systems as 'family-policing systems.' Pregnant people go into labor inside a hospital almost every day. Between contractions, they, or their partner, may be handed a flood of documents. Included may be a form with legal language that could authorize a nurse practitioner or physician to drug test both the birthing person and their newborn, without clear consent or probable cause. 'The hospitals that are participating in this, it's people of color who are more impacted, and at more disproportionate rates,' said Stephanie Jeffcoat, founder of Families Inspiring Reentry & Reunification 4 Everyone. The organization helps impacted parents navigate multiple interlocking systems such as the family and criminal justice systems, and is part of the steering committee working on establishing informed consent in California. Jeffcoat and Wright say the system is broken due to social workers and other professionals with mandated reporting credentials. Jasmine Sankofa, executive director of the nonprofit organization Movement for Family Power, which is dedicated to abolishing the family policing system, agrees with them. 'There really isn't any research that justifies the use of mandated reporting, the use of test and report,' Sankofa said, adding, 'It's bias based. It's not research based.' She added that 'studies have found that even if a pregnant person was using substances while they were pregnant — even if a child is born and is experiencing neonatal abstinence syndrome, for example — the recommended treatment is the approach is called, 'eat, sleep, and console.'' The best health care for a newborn isn't separation, nor is it to test and report their birthing parent to a family-policing system, Sankofa added. In cases where mom or baby test positive, child protective services are contacted. As the parent goes back and forth to court, the baby is first placed in a foster home, and because of the Adoption and Safe Families Act enacted by former President Bill Clinton in 1997, within 15 months 'states must initiate termination of parental rights proceedings, except in specified circumstances.' Despite her specific circumstances, the California child welfare system still took Jeffcoat's daughter, Harmony Faith Chase, from her nine years ago. Jeffcoat survived being raped, and found out she was pregnant too late for an abortion. At the time she was 28, unhoused, and struggled with substance use. She didn't have health insurance, couldn't afford an abortion, and had an estranged relationship with her mother, who had custody of her two older children. One day, she went to a hospital in Orange County for an eye infection. That's when she later learned she was tested for drugs. Jeffcoat's next visit to the hospital was when she delivered her daughter via C-section. The first hour of Harmony's life was interrupted when a social worker took her away from her mom's arms and was placed into the foster care system — never to be in the care of her mother again. 'I remember the feeling that I felt of losing my child,' said Jeffcoat, now 37. In 2023, a bill was introduced in California that would, in part, prohibit medical personnel from performing a drug or alcohol test or screen on a pregnant person or a newborn without prior written and verbal informed consent, and would require the test or screen to be medically necessary to provide care. That bill failed to advance from the state's Senate health committee in March 2023. Jeffcoat is currently studying law to become an attorney in dependency law. 'I feel like my own attorney failed me,' she said. 'I want to really be up in there [court] making sure that parents aren't losing their kids to the system. Especially in the timeframe of the adoption, it should not have been able to take place in six months. It takes longer for people to be sentenced to jail or prison.' Jeffcoat said she lost custody of Harmony in 2017 while incarcerated for 6½ months for a probation violation. Family court proceedings went on without her being present. Once released, she spiraled deeper into her addiction. In 2019, she had a fight with another unhoused person about her bike. After waking up nearby a dumpster, it was the moment she said she decided to turn her life around. She contested the adoption. In 2021, she found the adopting parents. For three years, Jeffcoat said she reached out to them with hopes to create a post-adoption agreement to at least regain visitation rights, to no avail. 'I needed to make sure that I get into a position to ensure that they do not continue to do this to other people,' said Jeffcoat, who launched her nonprofit in 2023. Perritt, the doctor who is also a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society of Family Planning, said people 'universally enter' health care professions 'because they want to change social justice issues, but during the course of medical education and training you are taught to conform to a system that exists already in order to survive it.' The history of the medical field being white and male, increases Perritt's beliefs that health care professionals teaming up with police goes back to the country's Founding Fathers. 'The police, to me, are not simply somebody in a police uniform. It's also the doctors, it's also the nurses, it's also the social workers. It's any and everybody who's a mandatory reporter.' Hospitals and health care providers often set their own drug testing and reporting policies — ones that can conflict with the ethical standards taught in medical training, particularly around informed consent and patient trust. In a notable shift, Mass General Brigham, a major hospital system in Boston, stopped automatically filing child neglect reports solely based on a newborn testing positive for drugs, citing a need to reduce unnecessary family separations. Drug testing shouldn't be considered a family testing system, advocates said. In 1996, after Wright lost custody of Trayquan, who was placed in her father's care, her troubles with the family-policing systems continued when she got pregnant with her third child and second son, Hassan. With an ongoing family court case, the newborn was immediately taken away and placed into a foster home in Brooklyn, New York. Hassan was there for nearly four years. Child protective services continued to return to Wright's life twice: when she went to federal prison for 10 years for a weapons and drug conviction, and survived a domestic violence incident by calling 911. After Wright was released from federal prison in 2013, she earned a criminal justice degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She mourned the loss of her oldest daughter to gun violence in 2018, and in 2021 held on tight to Hassan, now 28, when he survived being shot. 'I graduated at the top of my class,' Wright said. The post Hospitals Are Drug Testing Mothers Without Consent, Fueling Family Separations appeared first on Capital B News.
Buzz Feed
4 days ago
- Buzz Feed
The 1 Thing That Food Experts Never Eat Or Drink While Traveling Abroad
When you're traveling abroad, you probably have a long list of must-sees and must-dos. Diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps most definitely aren't on that list, but these digestive problems can be all too common. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 30% to 70% of vacationers get traveler's diarrhea, depending on where and when they go. The illness can often (but not always) be prevented by paying close attention to what you eat or drink, and by following the 'boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it' rule. 'Foodborne infections can strike at any time,' Leah Silberman, a registered dietitian with Medical Offices of Manhattan, told HuffPost. 'Traveling exposes you to new food sources, local food handling procedures, and different cleanliness standards. This raises your chances of coming into contact with infections or pollutants, against which your body may not have built protection.' Foods may also be contaminated with unsafe drinking water, or when handwashing isn't the norm or isn't done properly, said Mitzi Baum, CEO of the nonprofit Stop Foodborne Illness. Before traveling, it's a good idea to check the CDC's list of destinations, which highlights food or water safety issues, Baum said. Keep in mind, though, that you can get sick anywhere, including the US. About one in six Americans contract foodborne illness each year, which results in 3,000 deaths and 128,000 hospitalizations, according to the CDC. Travel enhances your risk of getting digestive issues, however. Along with not being acclimated to the foods or encountering different food-handling processes, jet lag and changes in climate can weaken your immune system, Silberman explained. Next time you travel, follow these tips for protecting yourself from traveler's diarrhea. Dietitians and food safety experts explain which foods are more likely to put you at risk for foodborne illness. What Is Traveler's Sickness? Traveler's diarrhea is the most common travel-related illness, and you get it by consuming tainted foods or drinks, according to the CDC. E. coli bacteria is the main culprit, Baum said, but travelers can also get sick from salmonella, shigella, or campylobacter. Viruses, like astrovirus, norovirus, and rotavirus, can also be to blame, as well as the parasite giardia. It often happens in instances of poor food handling, a lack of sanitation, or contaminated drinking water, Silberman said. Diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, vomiting, and fever are the most common symptoms of traveler's diarrhea, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms of viral or bacterial infections typically show up within six to 24 hours, but parasites can take a few weeks to show signs. The highest-risk destinations are Asia (except for Japan and South Korea), the Middle East, Africa, Mexico, and Central and South America, according to the CDC. Washing your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom and before eating, can reduce your risk, Baum said. Foods And Drinks To Avoid When Traveling Abroad You can actually get foodborne illness from any food or beverage. But some might be riskier than others, depending on where you travel. Food safety measures, sanitary standards, and culinary habits vary in different parts of the world, Silberman said. Your best bet is to research food safety and health risks for your destination. But here are some foods and drinks to consider avoiding. Raw fish and meat Raw meat and seafood are a 'big no-no,' according to Vanessa Rissetto, a registered dietitian and co-founder and CEO of Culina Health. 'We can't source where they came from, how long they've been out, and how they've been handled.' Rare steaks, tartare, sushi, ceviche or raw seafood, or inadequately prepared meat, fish, or seafood can increase your risk for consuming bacteria, parasites, or viruses, Silberman said. Fresh fruits and vegetables Fresh fruits and vegetables that seem to have been sitting out for a while could attract germs that might make you sick, Rissetto said. Opt for cooked produce when you can, which will ensure that it reaches temperatures high enough to kill pathogens. 'If you're going to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, they are safest when washed with potable water and peeled by the person who eats them,' Baum added. Also, choose fruits and vegetables with thick skins — like bananas, oranges or avocados — that can be peeled, Silberman said. 'Peel them yourself to reduce the possibility of eating pathogens.' Dairy Pasteurized milk and dairy products from sealed containers are usually safe to consume, according to the CDC. But unpasteurized items, including cheese, yogurt, or ice cream, are more likely to contain hazardous germs, like listeria, salmonella, or E. coli, Silberman said. It's also a good idea to avoid dairy that's been stored at room temperature or left out, such as cream for coffee. Tap water Alberto Masnovo / Getty Images Contaminated water is a big cause of traveler's diarrhea. 'Since pathogens aren't visible to the naked eye, it's hard to tell if the water is safe to drink,' Baum said. To learn about the safety of tap water in your destination, visit the CDC's travelers' health website, where you can search by country. Whenever you're not sure about the safety of water, drink factory-sealed bottled water and remove ice from your drinks, Baum said. You can also boil water for at least a minute. Be careful not to swallow any water in the shower if you're visiting a place where the water isn't safe to drink, and use bottled water to brush your teeth, Rissetto said. Certain types of street food DigiPub / Getty Images Sampling food from street vendors is a fun way to sample local cuisine, but the CDC warns that some may not adhere to the same safety practices — like hand-washing and checking food temperatures — as restaurants. It's always best to avoid foods and drinks that seem to be sitting around for a while. Items that come straight off a grill, for instance, that are piping hot and cooked are likely safer. What If You Get Sick While Traveling? If, despite your best efforts, you do get a case of traveler's diarrhea, it's usually not serious. But it can persist for a few days or a week (longer if it's caused by a parasite), ruining your trip. Silberman offered these tips for taking care of yourself if that happens: Stay hydrated. Diarrhea and vomiting can be dehydrating, so drink lots of bottled water or other safe fluids. Take an over-the-counter medication. Antidiarrheals, like loperamide (Imodium), or anti-nausea drugs, like dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), help relieve symptoms. Talk to a healthcare expert first, though, especially if you're taking other medications. See a doctor. If your symptoms aren't going away, they're severe, or you also have a fever, bloody stool, or dehydration, seek medical attention. Call your doctor when you get home if you still have symptoms or if you have an underlying medical condition. No one wants to get sick while traveling, of course. But remember that foodborne illness can happen anywhere, Rissetto noted. 'If we go on vacation overly worried about every single thing we're eating, we might not be able to truly enjoy the experience,' she said. 'You can determine what's right for you in the moment.'
