Date: 2023-01-19 11:13:34
City rejects fake news on e.coli-related hospitalisations
ETHEKWINI NEWSFLASH
28 DECEMBER 2022
CITY REJECTS FAKE NEWS ON E.COLI-RELATED HOSPITALISATIONS
EThekwini Municipality has become aware of a misleading voicenote making the rounds on social media platforms about people who have been admitted to various hospitals in the City suffering from e.coli-related infections. In addition to the voicenote, there are claims that a teenager is hospitalised after swimming at UShaka Beach.
The Municipality can confirm that the voice note is false and is trying to scare the public from visiting the City’s beaches. The municipality has been in contact with hospitals in the City including those that are mentioned in the voicenote. All the hospitals denied the claims of mass hospitalisations linked to e.coli related infections. The voicenote and post about the teenager are therefore rejected with the contempt they deserve. They are nothing but attempts to dissuade fun-loving South Africans from enjoying themselves at eThekwini beaches.
They are part of a relentless campaign to capitalise on flood damages to redirect visitors away from eThekwini. When Durbanites and visitors reject the campaign and visit beaches in their thousands, the detractors now resort to spreading fake news. The public is called upon to reject this latest attempt and to rather question who stands to gain from the lies being peddled about Durban beaches.
Thousands of Durbanites work in the hospitality industry and any attepts to destablise this industry must be rejected and those driving the misinformation campaign must be called out as the liars that they are.
UShaka Beach has been safe and compliant since the beginning of December. It was tested on December 1st, 3rd, 6th, 7th 8th, 15th , 16th, 17th, 20th and 21st. On all these days e.coli readings were well below the 500 treshhold, thus rendering as fake the claim that the teeanager has been hospitalised as a result an e.coli related infections.
The Municipality’s experts are constantly monitoring water quality at all city beaches to ensure the safety of visitors and residents. Only beaches whose water quality is at an acceptable standard are open. Beaches whose water quality is poor are aclosed and the public will be advised when it’s safe to use them.
The public is reminded that peddling fake news is a criminal offense.
ENDS
Issued by the eThekwini Municipality’s Communications Unit. For media enquiries contact Municipality’s Spokesperson.
