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Lubbock Health Department urges awareness of water germs

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal - 7/29/2017

July 29--Chlorine may not kill every germ in the pool.

The City of Lubbock Health Department issued an advisory on Friday about recreational water illnesses, or RWIs, after seeing an uptick in the number of cases reported.

RWIs are caused by germs spread in bodies of water, including swimming pools, playa lakes and natural bodies of water, according to the press release.

These germs, which often cause cryptosporidium, can also cause other gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye and neurologic issues and wound infections.

Cryptosporidium, or crypto, which is a diarrheal disease, is the most commonly reported issue.

Though chlorine kills many pool germs, it doesn't get them all and it doesn't always work instantly. According to the press release, crypto can stay alive for days in a chlorine pool and there are other germs that are chorine-tolerant.

The Health Department urges people to use caution around water and issued four tips to avoid RWIs: avoid water if you have diarrhea; shower before getting in to rinse off germs; use the bathroom to pee or poop, not the water; and don't swallow the water.

The Health Department also advises to wait at least two weeks after diarrhea caused by crypto to go swimming again, take kids on bathroom breaks often, check diapers frequently and change them away from the pool in a diaper-changing area, according to the press release.

Visit www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming for additional information.

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(c)2017 the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Lubbock, Texas)

Visit the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (Lubbock, Texas) at www.lubbockonline.com

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