Two children who visited the Opelika Sportsplex and Aquatics Center’s Splash Park between June 12 and June 20 have tested positive for E. coli infection, according to a Thursday release from the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Parents of children who visited the Splash Park during the same period have been cautioned to be alert for symptoms of illness such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

“Based on what we know now, four children who were in the Splash Park between June 12 and June 18 have been hospitalized at East Alabama Medical Center with gastrointestinal illness,” said Dr. Mary McIntyre, medical officer of the ADPH’s Bureau of Communicable Disease. The Splash Pool appears to be the common area of exposure at this time, according to that same ADPH release.

Of the two samples to test positive for E. coli, only one was from a child admitted to the East Alabama Medical Center, said John Atkinson, EAMC public relations manager.

“The other sample is from a child that was seen at a local doctor’s office, and who did not require hospitalization. To our knowledge, two children have been seen by local doctors with similar symptoms, making it a total of six (four at EAMC and two in the community),” Atkinson said. “We do not expect that number to increase.”

In one of the worst media quotes ever, Sam Bailey, director of the Opelika Parks & Recreation Department, said, “I would be shocked to think at some point tomorrow (Friday) we won’t be open, unless something we don’t know about occurs, and we’re not expecting that.”

With microorganisms, expect the unexpected.