Six Long Island beaches closed to bathing

Several Long Island beaches were closed to bathing Saturday due to elevated bacterial levels, county health officials said.

In Nassau County, Morgan Beach in Glen Cove was closed, the county's Department of Health said in a release. The beach will remain closed until testing indicates that samples are within acceptable limits, officials said in the release.

In Suffolk County, several beaches that were closed Friday remain closed Saturday, according to health officials: Tanner Park Beach in Copiague, West Islip Beach in West Islip, Sayville Marine Park Beach in Sayville, Amityville Beach in Amityville and Benjamin Beach in Bay Shore.

Gold Star Battalion Beach in Huntington and Ronkonkoma Beach in Islip, which had been closed earlier, had reopened.

“Beaches will reopen when further testing reveals that the bacteria have subsided to acceptable levels,” Suffolk health officials said Friday in a release announcing the closures.

The department’s news release says, “bathing in bacteria-contaminated water can result in gastrointestinal illness, as well as infections of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat.”

For the latest information on affected beaches in Suffolk County, call the Bathing Beach Hotline at 631-852-5822 or contact the Department's Office of Ecology at 631-852-5760 during normal business hours.   

For up-to-date recorded information on beach openings and closings in Nassau County, call 516-227-9700.

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.