WARNING about waterborne illnesses

Friday, July 20th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Hot, still, dry weather makes for stagnant lake waters. And that means higher concentrations of waterborne dangers. One Oklahoma child has already died this summer from a rare but deadly amoeba he inhaled while playing in shallow lake water.

It's the same parasite that killed 3-year-old Emerald Watson back in 1998. The amoeba is harmful only if it's breathed in through the nose. Emerald's mother, Wilma Watson is warning others to be aware. "If you happen to be going out to the lakes this weekend, please make sure that your children wear nose clips. For $2.99 you could save their lives, because there are bacterias and parasites in the lake, that if your child inhales them, it can kill 'em."

Dr. David John at OSU's Medical College in Tulsa also gives the warning, "There's going to be more of them, and if it's a dry summer like we're having right now, you're going to start getting a lot of evaporation in these lakes."

To protect yourself, swim in deeper water when possible, keep your head above water when you're close to shore and remember to use the noseclips.