A New Mexico city has been forced to shut down all pools and splash pads after officials discovered that people suffering from an illness caused by a parasite had swam in its pools.
The Albuquerque Parks and Recreation Department announced all facilities in the large town will undergo a chlorination process Thursday after the Environmental Health Department confirmed two cases of cryptosporidiosis.
The health department said two people who swam at a city pool came down with the infection, which causes diarrhea.
Cryptosporidiosis is caused by the parasite Cryptosporidium that people can contract after eating food or swallowing water contaminated with stool.
Emily Moore, a city spokeswoman, told the Albuquerque Journal that although cryptosporidium or ‘crypto’ was not ‘detected at any city pool,’ the closure was announced ‘out of an abundance of caution.’
After the pools and splash pads undergo ‘an enhanced chlorination process that is highly effective,’ they will reopen on Friday, Moore said.
Cryptosporidium parasites are protected by a thick shell that allows them to even survive in chlorinated swimming pool water
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that those infected by Cryptosporidiosis typically experience symptoms two to 10 days after the parasite enters the body. It typically lasts one to two weeks.
Although many people experience ‘watery diarrhea’ from the infection, some might not experience any symptoms at all, the agency said.
Other symptoms can include stomach pain and cramps, dehydration, nausea, vomiting, weight loss and fever, according to Tyrant County, Texas.
For those who have experienced similar symptoms, or suspect they contracted the infection are urged to visit their healthcare provider.
People with healthy immune symptoms are known to recover from Cryptosporidiosis faster, the CDC reported.
In order to prevent the spread of the unpleasant infection, people are advised to practice good hygiene, including washing hands regularly with soap and water, specifically after using the bathroom.
People should also make sure to wash their hands thoroughly after changing diapers, and eating or preparing food or drinks.
Locals in the area shared their reactions to the sudden pool and splash pad closures.
One said: ‘Glad to see the city is acting proactively to keep folks safe!’
‘That’s awful !! Every city has to watch for it,’ another wrote.
‘New fear unlocked,’ another resident said.
In June, a wave of San Diego beaches were shut down due to sewage creating frighteningly high levels of bacteria in the open waters.
Water contact closures were issued for Silver Strand Shoreline, Imperial Beach Shorelines, and the Tijuana Slough Shoreline, along the U.S, Mexico border.
Advisories were issued for the La Jolla, Children’s Pool, Coronado, Coronado Lifeguard Tower, the Ocean Beach, Dog Beach, the San Diego River outlet, Mission Bay, North Cove, and Vacation Isle.
In Imperial Beach, the number one dirtiest beach in the country, bright yellow warning signs have been placed on the sand as sewage has been flowing in from Tijuana, Mexico, KGTV reported.
‘The level of stress when you smell the stench, when you get sick and you worry about your children, and the level of stress and the depression is real,’ Dr. Marvel Harrison said during a press conference.
‘It’s difficult to measure, but it’s there.’