Current:Home > BackOfficials ban swimming after medical waste washes ashore in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Officials ban swimming after medical waste washes ashore in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware
View Date:2024-12-24 10:09:50
OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — Officials warned people to stay out of the ocean at several beaches in Maryland, Delaware and Virginia after they said medical waste, including hypodermic needles, washed ashore. The source of the waste was under investigation.
Officials banned swimming, wading and surfing at Assateague State Park Sunday morning after Maryland Park Service rangers found several needles and needle caps, feminine hygiene products and cigar tips along the beach, Maryland Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Gregg Bortz said in an email.
A few more needles were found Monday and the ban on swimming in the ocean continued at the park, he said.
There have been no reports of injuries or people encountering these items while swimming, Bortz said. The department was working with other local, state, and federal agencies to determine when it’s safe for people to enter the water.
All of Assateague Island National Seashore’s ocean-facing beaches in Maryland and Virginia were closed to swimming and wading.
Maryland’s Department of Emergency Management raised its state activation level to “partial” in support of the incident.
In Ocean City, Maryland, the beach patrol temporarily banned swimming Sunday after discovering medical waste on town beaches. Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald stressed in a statement that the situation was serious and said town officials were working with the Worcester County Health Department to investigate the source.
“Until we are confident that the situation is under control, we recommend wearing shoes on the beach and avoiding the ocean entirely,” he said.
On Monday afternoon, Theobald said the amount of debris had “significantly decreased.” The town was continuing to monitor the situation, particularly as the next high tide cycles approached Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control advised beachgoers to leave the beaches from the Indian River inlet to Fenwick Island Sunday afternoon and to refrain from swimming after reports of waste washing ashore on nearby Maryland beaches, the agency said in a statement. The department confirmed only minimal waste on Delaware beaches, including plastic caps and a single needle found near Dewey Beach.
“Despite the low level of waste observed, DNREC is taking the situation seriously and advising caution,” the agency said in a statement. The department maintains Delaware’s two state park beaches, but decisions about municipal beaches are up to town officials.
Delaware’s Dewey Beach temporarily barred swimming in the ocean Sunday. In an update Monday, the town said it was continuing to address the issue. Fenwick Island officials closed the beach for swimming Sunday and said in a statement that beaches would be inspected again late Monday and on Tuesday morning before a decision would be made on reopening.
veryGood! (75)
Related
- Round 2 in the Trump-vs-Mexico matchup looks ominous for Mexico
- Ugandan Olympic athlete dies after being severely burned by her partner over a land dispute
- USWNT's Croix Bethune suffers season-ending injury throwing first pitch at MLB game
- Alaska governor vetoes bill requiring insurance cover a year of birth control at a time
- John Krasinski Reveals Wife Emily Blunt's Hilarious Response to His Sexiest Man Alive Title
- GoFundMe account created to benefit widow, unborn child of Matthew Gaudreau
- You Have 24 Hours To Get 50% Off the Viral Benefit Fan Fest Mascara & More Sephora Deals
- Get 50% Off a Murad Mattifier That Minimizes Pores and Shine for 10 Hours, Plus $8.25 Ulta Deals
- Tom Brady Admits He Screwed Up as a Dad to Kids With Bridget Moynahan and Gisele Bündchen
- The arrest of a former aide to NY governors highlights efforts to root out Chinese agents in the US
Ranking
- Record-setting dry conditions threaten more US wildfires, drinking water supplies
- American Jessica Pegula rips No. 1 Iga Swiatek, advances to US Open semifinals
- A transgender teen in Massachusetts says other high schoolers beat him at a party
- Proof Christina Hall and Ex Ant Anstead Are on Better Terms After Custody Battle
- Atlanta man dies in shootout after police chase that also kills police dog
- That photo of people wearing ‘Nebraska Walz’s for Trump’ shirts? They’re distant cousins
- Steward CEO says he won’t comply with Senate subpoena on hospital closings
- A utility investigated but didn’t find a gas leak before a fatal Maryland house explosion
Recommendation
-
West Virginia governor-elect Morrisey to be sworn in mid-January
-
That photo of people wearing ‘Nebraska Walz’s for Trump’ shirts? They’re distant cousins
-
California settles lawsuit with Sacramento suburb over affordable housing project
-
Lala Kent Gives Birth, Welcomes Baby No. 2
-
Taylor Swift's Dad Scott Swift Photobombs Couples Pic With Travis Kelce
-
Consumer spending data looks solid, but some shoppers continue to struggle
-
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Open Wide
-
NYC teacher grazed by bullet fired through school window