WA Well being Division points warning over increase | Australian Markets
WA Well being has issued a main health warning after instances of a extremely infectious abdomen bug linked to swimming swimming pools and water parks flooded authorities at a charge of 70 a week final month.
Cryptosporidiosis instances have skyrocketed within the first two months of this yr, with a “significant increase” reported in February, concentrated primarily within the Perth metro space.
There have been 291 instances reported to WA Well being final month at an average of 70 instances a week — nicely above the seasonal increase seen in summer season in previous years.
Virtually half of these instances have been in youngsters below 10.
It prompted the Division of Well being to on Friday warn people who “have had diarrhoea not to enter any swimming pool, water spray park or other aquatic facility for at least two weeks after they have made a full recovery”.
A extreme type of gastroenteritis, crypto is a extremely infectious abdomen bug brought on by the water-borne parasite cryptosporidium.
Signs embrace diarrhoea, abdomen cramps and typically fever, nausea and vomiting.
It may be simply unfold from person-to-person in households, childcare services, and by way of swimming swimming pools or waterparks by swimming in contaminated water, or by consuming contaminated food.
WA has discovered itself within the grips of a main outbreak of the reportable sickness, with virtually 500 instances already this yr — more than 60 per cent of the 804 instances reported in 2024.
In 2023, there have been 210 reported instances.
Environmental health government director Dr Michael Lindsay stated the division is encouraging the two-week buffer period as a result of crypto is so simply unfold by way of water.
“Waterborne transmission can happen when people accidentally swallow contaminated water while swimming in pools or other aquatic facilities,” Dr Lindsay stated.
“People may not realise they remain infectious for some time after diarrhoeal symptoms stop, so that’s why we’re asking people to avoid swimming for two weeks after their symptoms cease.”
The parasite can survive for a long time in water and the setting and isn’t destroyed by common chlorination, the division stated.
“Currently, there is no evidence that any public swimming pools have faulty disinfection systems or are constantly infected. The Department is keeping a close eye on the situation,” it stated.
It comes six weeks after The West Australian first reported the hovering quantity of case notifications to health authorities, with WA Well being attributing about 20 per cent of WA instances to returned travellers from Indonesia in January.
It might probably take up to 12 days after publicity for signs to manifest, and people will be infectious from the onset of signs till two weeks after signs resolve.
There may be no particular remedy for the an infection and signs can final a few weeks in some people.
“The Department’s key priority is the prevention of further cases through alerting people about hygiene measures at pools and precautions to reduce the risk of spread in childcare facilities and household settings,” Dr Lindsay stated.
Sure teams are more at risk of extreme sickness if contaminated, together with youthful youngsters, pregnant girls and people with weakened immune systems. Anybody involved about their signs ought to contact their GP.
There have been a staggering 14,018 instances recorded throughout the nation in 2024, per the Nationwide Notifiable Illness Surveillance System, a more than 300 per cent increase on the 3718 instances nationally in 2023.
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