Cases in a cryptosporidiosis outbreak have risen sharply, with reported infections nearly doubling in the past two weeks.
Health New Zealand said 59 cases had been reported since the start of the year – 33 in the nearly three months between January 1 and March 20, and a further 26 cases in the following 16 days to April 5.
Spokesperson Jill McKenzie said the majority of cases were from the Hutt Valley, and 37 of them were people who used a pool, or had contact with an ill household member who used a pool.
The health agency also issued a warning to early childhood centres across the region, as the virus could spread easily among younger children.
The bug causes vomiting and diarrhoea, and people can remain infectious for up to two weeks.
Councils around the region have been taking precautions at public pools, including intensive treatments with chlorine and UV light.
Wellington City Council confirmed there had been a couple of cases linked to its pools in March.
Porirua City Council said no cases had been linked to its public pools.
National Public Health Service medical health officer Dr Craig Thornley previously told RNZ typically Wellington would see less than 20 cases in a year.
Not all cases would be reported, so true case numbers could be a lot higher.
One woman described the “severe pain” her daughter was in after contracting the illness at the Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre in Kilbirnie.
rnz.co.nz
