IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) — Two South Bay doctors say they have data that shows a correlation between bacteria levels in the area’s water and the number of diarrhea cases in their patients.
Doctors Matthew and Kimberly Dickson said they are concerned about what this information will mean for the upcoming rainy season.
In late August, the city of Imperial Beach dealt with Tropical Storm Hillary, a boil water advisory, and a sewage spill on Hollister Street.
The Dicksons, owners of South Bay Urgent Care, said it was shortly after that week in August when they started noticing a big increase in the number of people coming in with gastrointestinal symptoms.
When they noticed the uptick, they decided to take a closer look at their patient records.
“The amount of diarrhea that we saw went up 560%,” said Dr. Matthew Dickson.
The doctors showed ABC 10News a graph of the data they compiled, comparing the illness of their patients with water quality levels and advisories in place at the time.
“Normally, we see five cases; it went up to 35 cases and that’s just of diarrhea, this blue line is all of GI illness,” explained Dr. Kimberly Dickson, as she showed ABC 10News the graph.
The doctors said the patients weren’t only from Imperial Beach, but also Chula Vista, San Ysidro, and as far north as Coronado. None of the patients reported being in the ocean around the time of the illness, which makes the doctors wonder how they were getting sick.
“We have a health crisis related to the sewage. We can prove it, we need to sound the alarm and we need help down here by the border,” said Kimberly Dickson.
The couple presented the data to the Coastal Commission during a meeting earlier this month, and are hoping to get help from the county, state, and federal government.
“They have a lot more resources to help, really look into this and help find out if there is a correlation because we’ve seen a correlation,” said Matthrew Dickson.
Both doctors hope the issue gets addressed before more upcoming rain makes things worse.
ABC 10News reached out to the health department after the interview with the doctors, after the close of business.
Health officials did not respond as of the publication of this story.
