Diarrhoea outbreak closes Blenheim swimming pool
An aquatic centre in Blenheim has been closed after a reported outbreak of germs causing diarrhoea.
The pools at Marlborough Lines Stadium 2000 are being tested for cryptosporidium, a parasite that can cause the disease cryptosporidiosis.
Nelson Marlborough Health contacted the Stadium Trust on Thursday indicating a possible link to the pools.
Stadium 2000 chief executive Paul Tredinnick said on Friday seven people who used the pool had become ill, while three others who had not used the pool had become ill.
A Nelson Marlborough District Health Board spokeswoman said on Sunday another person had become ill and had been tested for the disease.
The results were not yet available but early indications showed the results would come back positive, she said.
‘‘Clearly the pool doesn’t generate any contamination but we certainly don’t want to be an agent of spread.’’
The aquatic centre would be closed for ‘‘several days’’ while the pools were tested, which would involve chemical treatment even if initial tests did not confirm contamination, Tredinnick said.
The parasite was resistant to chlorine and not usually tested for at pools in New Zealand.
The pools were tested multiple times a day for chlorine and pH levels and other contaminants, and records showed the pools were meeting the national standards for water quality, Tredinnick said.
‘‘Our first, second and third priorities are the health and safety of our customers,’’ he said.
It was the first time the pools would be closed for so long, and the first cryptosporidium scare at the complex, which opened in 2012, Tredinnick said.
But it was not unusual for New Zealand pools to close for cryptosporidium testing, with pools closing in Porirua, Canterbury and Wellington in the last few years.
The gymnasium, cafe and stadium were still open.
A Nelson Marlborough Health spokeswoman said other regions were also reporting more cases of cryptosporidium than usual.
The Public Health Service was looking for possible sources of contamination, she said. Medical officer of health Dr Andrew Lindsay urged people with diarrhoea or an upset tummy to avoid swimming for at least two weeks.
‘‘People may not be aware that swimming too soon after being sick with diarrhoea is a risk for passing infection onto other pool users.’’ The Marlborough District Council was providing support and advice, a council spokesman said.