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Things are not going swimmingly for Vancouver’s Sunset Beach. Visitors to the popular West End tourist destination this weekend will have to stick to the shore.

The Vancouver Park Board announced Saturday that Sunset Beach has been closed to swimmers after Vancouver Coastal Health tested high E. coli levels in the water.

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E.coli can come from many sources, including agricultural run-off, animal waste washing into the water, and pleasure boats discharging their sewage directly into the ocean. E. coli infection can cause gastrointestinal illness, including stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Health Canada’s guidelines say that E. coli levels in swimming areas should not exceed a geometric mean of 200 E. coli bacteria per 100 millilitres of water.

On Saturday, Sunset Beach clocked in at a whopping 798 per 100 millilitres, and the timing couldn’t be worse, as thousands are expected to pack Vancouver’s beaches over the sunny Canada Day long weekend.