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Apparently various fish species have been making a return to the canal, too, recently.
KHNL had a story on the news this morning. The Ala Wai is at its worse with rain - given the higher than average rainfall those Genki Balls apparently do have an impact. It is indeed a great sign.
I still remember the guy who died from flesh eating bacteria in the Ala Wai boat harbor some 15 years ago.
Wasn't it more like twenty years ago and wasn't there alcohol to go along with the flesh eating bacteria? Although, I'm sure there's more than one person who has fallen into the Ala Wai with ill effects.
Wasn't it more like twenty years ago and wasn't there alcohol to go along with the flesh eating bacteria? Although, I'm sure there's more than one person who has fallen into the Ala Wai with ill effects.
Yes, the victim had been drinking … and, if I recall correctly, he’d been busted up in a fight so had some open cuts. That said, what killed him was not drinking or fighting, it was flesh-eating bacteria … which can enter a body any number of ways regardless of stupid, drunken, brawling behavior. Just tipping over in a canoe in the canal could result in death.
Yes, the victim had been drinking … and, if I recall correctly, he’d been busted up in a fight so had some open cuts. That said, what killed him was not drinking or fighting, it was flesh-eating bacteria … which can enter a body any number of ways regardless of stupid, drunken, brawling behavior. Just tipping over in a canoe in the canal could result in death.
Vibrio vulnificus is the bacteria that caused the man's infection and eventual death. Vibrio vulnificus is found in 100% of coastal warm waters. It's an omnipresent bacteria. There are nearly 100,000 infections annually in the US alone...and those are only the ones reported and confirmed after visitation with a clinic or hospital. Statistics show less than 1 in 1,000 who are infected (again, only those infections that are reported) die of the infection with the vast majority being immunocompromised. The man was just extremely unlucky. Being exposed (broken skin) to any infection-inducing bacteria across multiple areas of your body while being wasted drunk also doesn't help.
Moral of the story shouldn't be avoid the Ala Wai, it should be avoid getting plastered, then getting into a fist fight immediately next to a rock-lined waterway with no fall protection barrier.
Vibrio vulnificus is the bacteria that caused the man's infection and eventual death. Vibrio vulnificus is found in 100% of coastal warm waters. It's an omnipresent bacteria. There are nearly 100,000 infections annually in the US alone...and those are only the ones reported and confirmed after visitation with a clinic or hospital. Statistics show less than 1 in 1,000 who are infected (again, only those infections that are reported) die of the infection with the vast majority being immunocompromised. The man was just extremely unlucky. Being exposed (broken skin) to any infection-inducing bacteria across multiple areas of your body while being wasted drunk also doesn't help.
Moral of the story shouldn't be avoid the Ala Wai, it should be avoid getting plastered, then getting into a fist fight immediately next to a rock-lined waterway with no fall protection barrier.
I agree the victim discussed was extremely unlucky. But the admonition (for the time period of his demise certainly) to avoid the canal was very much appropriate … regardless of drinking and brawling (which behaviors are also obviously ill-advised).
The bacteria cited as “present in [all] coastal warm waters” is but one found in the toxic Ala Wai canal cesspool. Flourishing. And, as mentioned previously, open cuts are not required for infection.
Drinking (to excess) and brawling are stupid behaviors.
Falling in any water in those conditions is a bad idea.
Falling into the Ala Wai, drunk or sober, is extra risky, at the least.
The bacteria cited as “present in [all] coastal warm waters” is but one found in the toxic Ala Wai canal cesspool. Flourishing.
After doing some research on the event, you are correct. I forgot that the city dumped an unprecedented and staggering 48 million gallons of raw sewage into the Ala Wai. And that man's unfortunate fall into the water was just one day after the discharge period. I'm actually surprised he didn't get infected with other things. They didn't allow swimming even at the beach for I believe over a month after the emergency discharge. This occured during that 40 days of rain event. That was something else.
It should be noted that the man did suffer from liver disease at the time of the incident so essentially he was immunocompromised.
When I was younger I paddled canoe there and back then the water was also polluted. Probably moreso than today. None of us freaked out when we got splashed (this happened constantly). I'd hate to see people today avoid paddling there because of unwarranted fears of contracting flesh eating disease. At least the genki balls are doing their job; a much needed PR plus for the Ala Wai. Hopefully this reassures more people and canoe paddling/racing will continue to flourish.
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