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Measles poisoned. From August 12, access to the river is forbidden in three voivodships. It is forbidden to go fishing, practice water sports, or water the animals. So far, it is not known which toxin caused the ecological disaster (German research has not shown the presence of mercury). The Internet is inundated with questions from frightened people who previously bathed in the Odra River. «Is something threatening me?» – they ask. Doctors answer.
- Prof. Adam Tański appeals: no matter what the toxin it is, it can be harmful to people
- Lek Michał Domaszewski: at the moment the most important seems to be a total ban on contact with possibly polluted water and a complete ban on eating fish from a contaminated water reservoir
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Odra contamination. “We absolutely cannot rule out anything”
It is not known yet what poison led to the disaster in the Oder river. The information that the German laboratory showed a high presence of mercury was of particular concern.
The Minister of Climate and the Environment, Anna Moskwa, announced that German tests did not reveal the presence of mercury. «We have officially received the current water test results from the German side. No mercury was found. Analyzes on both sides of the border show high salinity. Comprehensive toxicological studies are underway in Poland. We will inform about further applications ».
Prof. Adam Tański from the Department of Hydrobiology, Ichthyology and Biotechnology of Reproduction at the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin calls for all people who engage in help to remember that no matter what the toxin it is, it can be harmful to humans. «All work should be carried out under supervision so that someone does not enter the water by himself. First of all, you need to be protected with long gloves, glasses and a mask, because you don’t know what it is »- warned the specialist.
The rest of the text below the video.
“We are not sure how big the real threat is to people”
The internet is flooded with questions from concerned people. «A week ago I was swimming in the Oder river. Is something threatening me? ». – There is terrible hysteria around the subject, and it is never good in such situations. First of all, we are not sure how big the real threat is to people – Katarzyna Bukol-Krawczyk, an internist and nutritionist from LUX MED in Warsaw said in gazeta.pl. – We do not know the original concentration of the poison (…) and even whether there was a single discharge of hazardous substances. It all matters – explains.
– I do not assume that anyone in their right mind took a bath in the Oder, even before the contamination was exposed. Large Polish rivers do not encourage swimming, and there are no official bathing areas on this river, also because they would make navigation difficult. Unfortunately, we are not sure that the poisoning could not have happened near the river – admits the internist.
Odra poisoning. The doctor about the most important thing
So what to do until some information on the causes and effects of the Odra River contamination is published? “At the moment, the most important thing seems to be a total ban on contact with possibly polluted water and a total ban on eating fish from polluted water bodies!” – advises the internist Michał Domaszewski.
Dr. Eryk Matuszkiewicz, a specialist in clinical toxicology and internal diseases, warns local residents and anglers against collecting dead fish on their own. It is “to put it mildly, unreasonable” – it emphasizes and reminds that contact with poisoned fish can cause skin irritation, which can be seen in the form of redness, burning or burns. However, it will not cause infection in the body. “Poisoning can only occur through the digestive tract, that is, if we eat these contaminated fish in large quantities,” he said.
If someone has already picked fish and has burns on their hands, they should see a doctor. «We treat such irritations as a skin burn, but it is not poisoning or infection. This is only chemical damage to the skin »- emphasized Dr. Matuszkiewicz.