The Holding Park Aquatic Center reopened Sunday, Aug. 4, after it was closed quickly Thursday, Aug.1, because Wake County health officials notified officials in the Wake Forest Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department that a person who had contracted Cryptosporidium or Crypto for short somewhere else had visited the pool. The department immediately closed the pool as a precaution and began the process of hyper-chlorination to disinfect the pool.
According to Aquatech Pool Management Group, the company that manages the aquatic center, staff implemented procedures “that exceed requirements as a precautionary measure.” In addition, Aquatech staff spent the day Saturday disinfecting door knobs, countertops, furniture and restrooms.
Ruben Wall, the parks and recreation department director, again cautioned residents to do their part to keep the pools and slides at the aquatic center clean and safe
“We want to keep the pool as clean and safe as possible,” said Wall, “so if you’re sick, don’t swim.” He had earlier said, “To protect ourselves from Crypto, the best thing we can do is not swallow the eater we swim in. We want to keep Crypto out of the pool in the first place, and the way we do that is not to swim or let our children swim when they’re sick with diarrhea.”
Cryptosporidium is the leading cause of waterborne disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control. A microscopic parasite, it causes the diarrheal disease Cryptosporidiosis. Its symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, cramps and dehydration.
From 2009 through 2017, the most recent available data, there were 444 crypto outbreaks in the United States with almost 7,500 people hospitalized and one death, the CDC reported.
Wake Forest officials said they would post safety tips at the pool.
