Porirua's public pools have been closed after a crypto outbreak. Photo / iStock
Porirua's public pools have been closed after a crypto outbreak. Photo / iStock
Porirua's public pools have been closed for the last weekend of the school holidays after five cases of a nasty stomach bug.
Porirua City Council said it had closed the Arena Aquatic Centre this afternoon after confirmation today that five cases of cryptosporidiosis were linked to the pool.
The symptoms of cryptosporidium appear around a week after people swallow the parasite. They include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and loss of appetite and can last for two weeks.
Pools manager Sue Chapman said the people who became ill swam at the pools between June 19 and 26.
Anyone concerned they may have the illness should go to their doctor.
Champam said they had not been asked by Regional Public Health to close, but the pools believed the health of its customers was paramount.
"We apologise for the inconvenience to our regular users but expect they would rather we took this precautionary approach."
Chapman says the aquatic centre would be closed for two days to undertake a complete cleaning regime including treatment of the leisure pool, lane pool, spa and toddler pools with higher doses of chlorine dioxide.
"We will also clean surfaces and pool equipment - anything the water has touched will be washed."
The pool will reopen at 5am Monday.
Chapman said it was important people did not swim for at least two weeks following any illness with diarrhoea and tummy upset to avoid passing bugs to other swimmers.
Swimming pools have signage reminding people not to swim after being sick and to shower before entering the pool.
It was also important to ensure that babies and toddlers wore a swim suit and/or swim nappy that is tight fitting around their legs.
Wellington City Council recreation facilities manager Julian Todd supported Porirua City Council's decision to close its aquatic centre.
He urged people to avoid Wellington's pools if they had been sick in the past fortnight.
"If you do you'll just put the health of other people at risk and also possibly cause our pools to be closed."
