More than 100 people caught a diarrheal infection from pools in Arizona

More than 100 people in Maricopa County, Arizona, which includes the capital city of Phoenix, have contracted a diarrheal infection from contaminated pool water.

As many as 20 public pools, splash pads, and water parks are believed to be hosting a parasite called cryptosporidium, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, and fever. In some cases, it can also damage the respiratory tract.

Officials have not identified which pools are polluted with the chlorine-resistant bug, and the pools have not been closed while they undergo cleaning. There is "no reliable test" to determine if a given body of water contains the disease, said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine of the Maricopa County Department of Public Health.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The public is encouraged to "stay out of the water if you have diarrhea" so the illness does not spread further.