The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) monitors the spread of Vibrio bacteria using satellite data, according to The Sun.
Data on sea temperature and salinity are used to assess where the bacterium is likely to be present in higher concentrations.
According to the ECDC, the risk has increased earlier than usual this summer due to unusually high temperatures across Europe.
The risk is low
Vibrio occurs naturally in warm coastal and brackish waters, where freshwater and seawater meet.
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Most people do not become seriously ill, but individuals with open wounds, diabetes, liver disease, or weakened immune systems should take extra precautions. This was stated by Applied Microbiology International, according to The Sun.
The bacterium can also be transmitted through contaminated shellfish.
According to the ECDC, an infection may cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, or a wound infection.
In rare cases, the illness can become severe.
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Denmark among the affected areas
The ECDC considers the Baltic Sea and parts of the North Sea to be the areas in Europe where conditions are most favorable for the bacterium when seawater becomes warm.
Earlier this summer, several beaches in Spain were temporarily closed after Vibrio was detected in coastal waters, according to The Sun.
The monitoring map also shows that coastal areas in Denmark, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France may experience higher levels of Vibrio bacteria during warm periods.
Health authorities are therefore monitoring the situation closely, as rising sea temperatures may provide more favorable conditions for the bacterium's growth.
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