WA Health Department issues warning over increase in cases of gastro bug Cryptosporidiosis

0
WA Health Department issues warning over increase in cases of gastro bug Cryptosporidiosis


WA Health has issued a major health warning after cases of a highly infectious stomach bug linked to swimming pools and water parks flooded authorities at a rate of 70 a week last month.

Cryptosporidiosis cases have skyrocketed in the first two months of this year, with a “significant increase” reported in February, concentrated mainly in the Perth metro area.

There were 291 cases reported to WA Health last month at an average of 70 cases a week — well above the seasonal increase seen in summer in past years.

Almost half of those cases have been in children under 10.

It prompted the Department of Health 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 severe form of gastroenteritis, crypto is a highly infectious stomach bug caused by the water-borne parasite cryptosporidium.

Symptoms include diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sometimes fever, nausea and vomiting.

It can be easily spread from person-to-person in households, childcare facilities, and via swimming pools or waterparks by swimming in contaminated water, or by consuming infected food.

WA has found itself in the grips of a major outbreak of the reportable illness, with almost 500 cases already this year — more than 60 per cent of the 804 cases reported in 2024.

In 2023, there were 210 reported cases.

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *