DC man's grandson hospitalized after swimming in E. Coli infested Virginia lake

DUMFRIES, Va. - A Washington, D.C. man says that his 10-year-old grandson fell ill with a gastrointestinal illness after swimming in Lake Anna during Memorial Day Weekend. 

Edward Alexander told FOX 5 that his grandson, Brinson, was hospitalized after testing positive for E. coli, and had to be treated with medication.

"My grandson was swimming with his uncles down at Lake Anna during the Memorial Day holiday, and when he got back to the D.C. area to his mother he got sick, really sick," Alexander said. "They took him to the hospital, and he found out we had been infected with the E. coli bacteria. They did what they needed to do, and they sent him home with instructions that he couldn't go to school. When he started feeling a lot better, they cleared him to go to school." 

Environmental officials are now testing Lake Anna's water following reports of at least 20 E. coli infections, with nine hospitalizations confirmed by the Virginia Department of Health. 

Most victims are children, and symptoms of E. coli infection include stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting, with severe cases potentially causing kidney damage.

Mr. Alexander suspects his daughter also contracted the infection from her son, emphasizing the need for caution as many people turn to lakes to escape the heat.

The investigation into the illnesses is ongoing, and results from the water tests at Lake Anna are pending.