Photo: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Councils around the Wellington region are taking precautions at their swimming pools after a number of cryptosporidiosis cases have cropped up connected to swimming pools.
Cryptosporidiosis was a stomach bug that could cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps, and vomiting.
Te Whatu Ora said there were 33 cases of the gastric illness in the region as of 20 March - 16 of those cases were people who had used a pool or had contact with unwell people in their household who had used a pool.
A Hutt City Council spokesperson said some cases in the outbreak were linked to the toddlers pool at Te Ngaengae and the Huia Hydro Pool.
"Both pools were closed and underwent an intensive treatment utilising high chlorine dosage and ultraviolet light treatment, as per best practice according to the NZ Standard Pool Water Quality. Both pools were then reopened."
Inside Te Ngaengae pool and fitness. Photo: Supplied / Hutt City Council
"Public Health are satisfied with our response and have not directed any further action."
Wellington City Council said it was unaware of any cases of cryptosporidiosis at its pools, and was taking its cues from regional public health in terms of any precautions it needed to take.
Porirua City Council said there had been no cryptosporidiosis cases reported at its pools but it had put up signage about cryptosporidiosis in response.
The council said it had strong ongoing management of water treatment and public health standards in place.
Kāpiti Coast District Council said they were made aware of some unconfirmed cases in Wellington and Hutt Valley last week.
"As a precaution, and in response we increased our vigilance, testing and disinfection protocols," aquatics facilities manager Steve Millar said.
"So far there are no cases linked to our facilities and we'd like it to stay that way."
He said they were asking pool users to follow the protocols outlined by Te Whatu Ora - practice good hand washing and drying after using the toilet, changing nappies, and before preparing or eating food.
As well as to stay home from school or childcare centres until 48 hours after the diarrhoea stops.
Concerns disease will spread
National Public Health Service medical health officer Dr Craig Thornley said typically Wellington would see less than half that number in a year, and he was worried there was more of the parasite spreading in the community that was not being reported.
"We think that there may well be more people in the community with the illness because not everybody who gets unwell gets to see a doctor and then gets tested. So we're concerned that there may be more cryptosporidiosis out there... What we're seeing is likely to be the tip of the iceberg," Thornley said.
Meanwhile Epidemiologist Dr Simon Hales from the University of Otago in Wellington warned Midday Report there could be hundreds of people in the Wellington region with the potential to pass on cryptosporidiosis, that were unaware they had even picked up the illness.
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