The bacteria can cause death within 48 hours in 20% of infected people, Gobler said. He attributed the spread to nitrogen runoff, algae blooms, and climate change. "It's a very, very serious infection, it gets into open wounds," Gobler said at a press conference. He advised immunocompromised or elderly individuals with open wounds to avoid the water in summer.
Separately, waters in East Quogue, Southold, and the western half of Shinnecock Bay are contaminated with algae producing a neurotoxin 1,000 times more poisonous than cyanide, multiple reports indicate. The neurotoxin poses a threat to the area's oyster industry.
Gobler also noted that dogs have gotten sick and died from drinking lake water on Long Island. The exact number of infections or deaths from the bacteria on Long Island has not been confirmed, and it remains unclear what measures are being taken to address the contamination.