Ocean City beaches, like others up and down the Delmarva coast, were closed Sunday after medical waste started washing ashore. This photo is from 2019. Photo by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
By Valerie Bonk
Popular beach destinations along the coasts of Maryland, Virginia and Delaware remained closed for a second day to swimming and even wading Monday, a day after officials received reports of “medical waste,” including needles, washing up on shore.
Officials first announced Sunday afternoon that swimming would not be allowed at Ocean City, Assateague Island and Fenwick Island, as well as Chincoteague Public Beach.
Ocean City said Sunday that the beach patrol had closed the local beaches for swimming and urged “everyone to adhere to this closure until further notice.” While there was “considerably less” waste washing ashore Monday, city officials said they were continuing the closure “out of an abundance of caution.”
“We will work closely with the Worcester County Health Department and other public health authorities to investigate the source of the medical waste,” Ocean City Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald said Sunday. He added that the situation is “serious, especially given the combination of rough seas and the current health concerns.”
There was no estimate on when the beaches may reopen to swimming. Visitors in the area are urged to wear shoes and should be “avoiding the ocean entirely,” Theobald said.
The Town of Fenwick Island also closed its beaches to swimming Sunday, citing reports of waste washing to shore, and extended the closure on Monday. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said it was investigating reports of “medical waste washing ashore from Indian River Inlet to Fenwick Island,” and urged people to stay off the beach and not to go swimming. It also asked people to call the department’s environmental hotline at 800-662-8802 if they spotted any waste washing ashore.
The National Park Service said Sunday afternoon that there were closures on the Maryland side of Assateague Island National Seashore because of the reports of medical waste. It expanded those to include Virginia beaches later Sunday. All ocean-facing beaches at Assateague Island National Seashore were closed to swimming or wading as of Monday.
Officials with the park service and with Fenwick Island echoed calls for visitors to keep their shoes on while walking on the beach.