Cofepris conducts clean beach studies prior to vacation periods. Here we tell you about the conditions in Mazatlán, Sinaloa.
Easter is coming, and some take the opportunity of days off to choose the beach as a tourist destination for these holidays.
Before the various vacation periods, the Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (Cofepris) conducts clean beach studies, analyzing the amount of harmful bacteria present in the sea.
How is it determined that a beach is dirty?
The clean beaches program involves taking four to six samples at each of the established points during the two weeks prior to the vacation period, the agency pointed out.
“Beaches for recreational use in Mexico are classified according to the concentration of enterococci (bacteria) present, in accordance with the guidelines established in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Water Quality Guides,” indicated the magazine Ciencia Cofepris.
Thus, beaches that present an excess of enterococci are designated as not suitable for tourists.
Beach Classification
SUITABLE for recreational use: 0 – 200 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water
NOT SUITABLE for recreational use: more than 200 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water
What are enterococci and how do they affect health?
Enterococci are bacteria found in the intestinal flora of many organisms, including humans, reported the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).
When the sea is contaminated, it can contain microorganisms typical of sewage that cause diseases. Bacteria like enterococci can cause:
– Gastroenteritis (includes diarrhea and abdominal pain)
– Salmonellosis (food poisoning)
– Cholera
– Otitis
– Conjunctivitis
– Respiratory and skin diseases
Are Mazatlán’s beaches suitable?
With a sampling date from February 27 to March 7, 12 beaches in Mazatlán, Sinaloa were analyzed, all of which were SUITABLE.
– Playa Cerritos
– Playa Zona Dorada I
– Playa Zona Dorada III
– Playa Zona Dorada IV
– Playa Isla El Venado
– Playa Zona Dorada VI
– Playa del Mar
– Playa Norte
– Playa Los Pinos
– Playa Olas Altas
– Playa Isla del Chivo
– Playa Isla de la Piedra-El Cardón
Source: Milenio
