A 'Do Not Swim' notice has been issued for a popular Irish beach over fears the water may be dangerous.
Mayo County Council issued the notice on Wednesday to be put in place at Bertra Beach, outside of Westport.
It was issued due to elevated levels of E. coli in the water which is potentially harmful to people.
Arrangements have been made for resampling of the bathing water with results expected to be available before Friday next.
Mr. Martin Keating, Head of Environment, Climate Change and Agriculture with Mayo County Council stated that “the result is disappointing having regard to the excellent water quality results from the previous number of samples.
"Investigations have been ongoing in the catchment and will be intensified over the next week to identify the possible cause behind this result.
"We are fortunate however to have a number of beaches with excellent water quality around Clew Bay which will provide alternatives for bathing during this period”.
Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria normally live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Most types of E. coli are harmless or cause relatively brief diarrhea.
But a few strains, can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting.
You may be exposed to E. coli from contaminated water or food — especially raw vegetables and undercooked ground beef.
Healthy adults usually recover from infection within a week. Young children and older adults have a greater risk of developing a life-threatening form of kidney failure.
