U.S. health officials had just announced that diarrhea cases from swallowing pool water are already twice its rate this year. The host that is capable of causing an outbreak is then reported to be a person that has a parasite called Cryptosporidium or Crypto.
According to CNN, the recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last Thursday showed that diarrhea outbreak from swimming pools had doubled during 2014-2016. Most of the cases were reported to occur on U.S. public pools which are contaminated.
Cryptosporidiosis which causes an outbreak was described to infect the intestines which further results in stomach cramps and long-term diarrhea. The parasite was identified to be something that a regular chlorine couldn’t kill. Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC's Healthy Swimming Program then said that diarrhea caused by crypto could last up to 3 weeks.
With that said, the report also explained that there have been 32 diarrhea outbreaks in 24 states in 2016 while 16 nationwide cases occurred in 2014 as Daily Telegraph reported. Yet, Hlavsa said that they expect it to go higher. It was also noted by the CDC that countermeasures include parents advising their children not to swallow water. Showering thoroughly and taking the children in bathroom breaks were also advised by the CDC.
“Symptoms may come and go and may last days to weeks — people with a weak immune system may have more severe symptoms that can last for months. Children who have diarrhea should be kept home from school, preschool, childcare or playgroup until 24 hours after diarrhea has completely stopped,” a spokeswoman from Sydney Local Health District released a statement.
Nonetheless, the cryptosporidiosis is mentioned to survive in chlorinated water up to 10 days. Hence, the U.S. CDC advised pool owners to close the vicinity and treat the pool with high levels of chlorine, called hyperchlorination to avoid any diarrhea outbreaks.