Bacteria is coming from local sewage and could affect water sport competitions
Athlete says beach water “feels like there’s some alien enemy entering your face”
Rio de Janeiro (CNN)A group of Brazilian scientists have detected a drug-resistant bacteria growing off the shores of some of Rio de Janeiro’s most stunning beaches, one month before they’re due to host the 2016 Olympic Games.
According to lead researcher Renata Picao, the “super bacteria” entered the city’s waterways when sewage coming from local hospitals got channeled into the bay.
“We have been looking for ‘super bacteria’ in coastal waters during a one year period in five beaches,” Picao told CNN, during a visit to her lab. “We found that the threats occur in coastal waters in a variety of concentrations and that they are strongly associated with pollution.”
The news comes as Rio prepares to host hundreds of thousands of athletes and tourists during next month’s 2016 Summer Olympic Games