LANSING, MI (WILX) — Summertime parasites are on the rise.
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), from 2009 to 2017 there has been a 13 percent annual increase.
Cryptosporidium (Crypto) is found to be the culprit as it is a leading cause for outbreaks of diarrhea, usually associated with pools and water parks.
The CDC counted 7,465 cases in the United States over half of those from the eight Great Lake states, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.
The CDC found that pools weren’t the only problem though.
Contact with cattle and infections from child care settings also caused Crypto outbreaks.
Of the 7,465 cases reported, 287 of those resulted in hospitalization and one person died.
In order to protect yourself and your family from getting Crypto, Anago Cleaning Systems, an international cleaning company, has issued 10 Commands to fight Crypto.
1. Wash your hands often. Use soap and water for at least 20 seconds, rubbing hands vigorously.
2. Don’t swallow pool water. Germs and disease can be spread by drinking contaminated water, so never swallow water in a public pool or hot tub.
3. Protect others. Don’t swim if you have diarrhea (this is especially essential for children wearing diapers).
4. Shower before you swim. Always rinse yourself well before entering the water.
5. Wash children. Before they enter the water, wash children using soap and water, especially their bottoms. Also wash kids after they use the toilet, or after their diapers are changed.
6. Check children. Take children on frequent bathroom breaks and check their diapers often. And be sure to change diapers in the bathroom and never by the pool.
7. Put down the hand sanitizers – alcohol-based sanitizers are not effective against Crypto. They are also ineffective against most pathogens if your hands are visibly dirty or greasy.
8. Clean with microfiber – 30 percent of micro-organisms can be removed by wiping with a wet cloth. But if you use microfiber, the number can be as high as 99 percent.
9. Don’t soak the microfiber – Microfiber should have a sand-papery feel; if it doesn’t feel that way against your skin you’ve used too much water and the microfiber will not be as effective.
10. Clean and disinfect in that order. Cleaning removes germs but does not kill them. Disinfecting, though, kills the germs. Clean first and then disinfect.
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