As has already been said, bottled water is readily available anywhere in Cozumel. Be aware and think about the other places that those nasty bacteria may be hiding.....like in fresh fruit & veggies that have been handled by unclean hands. A salad can be one of the worst places...for two main reasons....the vegetables may already be contaminated before they are "washed" in the water which may be contaminated. The most likely place to pick up the e. coli would be from improperly or unwashed hands of the food handlers who are chopping and mixing the foods that will not undergo cooking to kill any bacteria. And that, my friend, brings us to the main source of the "revenge" that I hadn't even thought about until recently.
I read an article just within the past two days in Undercurrent stating that one of the main sources of e. coli related sickeness is SALSA....Oh no...and I thought all that "heat" would kill the bacteria...LOL. Unfortunately, according to the article - a very high percentage of salsas, jalapeno sauces and guacamole in Mexico that were tested by researchers from the University of Texas - tested positive for e. coli. Actually two-third of them and with contamination levels 1,000 times more than samples tested in restaurants in Houston. Further tests indicated that they also contained two particular nasty strains of e. coli that account for 50% of all cases of diarrhea that travelers experience. One releases a toxin while the other causes inflammation....a buddy team you want to avoid!!
The bugs come from human feces and contaminate the sauces
by way of unwashed hands of the food handlers. This only makes sense when you consider the salsa is made from raw vegegables, chopped on possibly contaminated surfaces and excessively handled (never cooked) and made in large batches which sit around unrefrigerated for long periods of time. Adding to this - in Mexico,the SAME sauces may sit on the table all day. Not only are they unrefrigerated, but may also be further contaminated by consecetuve diners sticking their fingers in them as they dip their chips.
OK OK - you say - I get the picture!!! But what's a Mexican vacation without salsa or guacamole?
Well, just remember to think about what you are drinking and eating and in what quantity you are ingesting the "at risk" foods. AND do as we always do - take daily doses of that pink anti-acid, anti-diarrhea, anti-everything elixir - Pepto or the generic version thereof.
For diving, of course, you will need to be hydrating yourself with water - drink LOTS of bottled water - you can get it in very large bottles at the supermercado near Plaza Las Glorias and refill your own smaller bottles. They have the pink stuff too!!!
I love Cozumel and the town of San Miguel. People are wonderful and the diving is great!! Our last trip there was just two months ago....can't wait to return. Eat safely. Dive safely and ENJOY!!
