The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has issued a press release, reminding swimmers to take the necessary precautions to practice safe swimming habits. According the MDH,
“Germs on and in swimmers’ bodies end up in the water and can make other people sick,” said Dr. Kirk Smith, foodborne disease supervisor for MDH “Even healthy swimmers can get sick from recreational water illnesses, but the young, elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are especially at risk.”
Legionnaires’ Disease
One of the most common illnesses associated with swimming pools is Legionnaires’ Disease, a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella, a bacteria first discovered in 1976 during an outbreak of pneumonia at an American Legion convention.
According to the CDC, each year, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease in the United States. However, many infections are not diagnosed or reported, so this number may be higher.
Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal. A CDC study of reported cases indicated a death rate of 40 percent for hospital-acquired cases, but a death rate of 20 percent for community-acquired cases. Some outbreaks have claimed more than 50 percent. Our Minnesota law firm represents victims of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks throughout the United States.
Legionnaires’ Disease Prevention
The Minnesota Department of Health advises that swimmers take precautions to avoid Legionnaires’ disease and other swimming-related illnesses:
- If you have been ill with diarrhea in the past two weeks, do not go swimming.
- Do not allow children who have been ill with diarrhea or vomiting in the past two weeks to go swimming.
- Avoid swallowing water or getting water in your mouth.
- Shower before swimming.
- Wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
- Take children on bathroom breaks or change diapers often.
- Change children’s diapers in a bathroom, not at poolside or beachside.
If someone in your family has been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease after swimming in a Minnesota pool, please contact our Minnesota law firm: 612-338-0202, 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or free case consultation form.
