Water lovers beware: Your local splash pad could be teeming with diarrhea-causing germs.
The findings are the first to quantify the scale of harm linked to splash pads.
But theyre not risk-free, as this new report illustrates.
Splash pads are a safe way for kids and adults to enjoy the water, but they’re not risk-free.© Tim M Lanthier via Getty
But the CDC report is apparently the first to summarize the toll of these outbreaks.
More than 10,000 people were sickened during these outbreaks, while 152 were hospitalized.
Thankfully, though, there were no reported deaths.
The findings werepublishedThursday in the CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Like other recreational water sources, splash pads are supposed to use water thats been treated with chlorine.
But there are certain waterborne bugs naturally resistant to chlorine, namely the parasiteCryptosporidium.
And its this parasite that accounted for most of the illness seen with splash pads.
Another important factor in these outbreaks is human behavior.
Um, on that last point, good luck with that.
News from the future, delivered to your present.
