Health officials suspect human waste contamination caused illness outbreak on Lake Minnetonka

Hennepin County public health officials suspect water contamination by human feces or vomit could be the cause of an outbreak that sickened at least 116 people over the 4th of July weekend, many of whom were in the Big Island area of Lake Minnetonka. Hundreds of partygoers were wading among boats in Cruisers Cove, and experts say the source could have been anything from a boater pumping out a marine toilet to one person with norovirus getting sick in the water. State Health Department officials say it’s not a good idea for swimmers in public areas to suck up water and pretend they’re a fountain, or allow lake water to splash into their pop can.