Fourteen people in Bothell, Washington, got sick after swimming in a hotel pool in late August. Lab tests confirmed cryptosporidiosis, an illness caused by the microscopic parasite cryptosporidium, with symptoms including diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and fever that showed up days after their swim. Investigators believe an infected swimmer introduced the parasite into the water.
Here’s the part that matters for anyone who swims: the pool passed a September inspection with zero violations. Crypto is highly chlorine-resistant, meaning it can survive for days even in properly treated water. A clean inspection and clear water don’t guarantee the pool is germ-free, and no operator can test their way out of a swimmer who shouldn’t be in the water.
For Suncoast swimmers, the takeaway is simple. If you’ve had diarrhea or vomiting, stay out of pools for two full weeks. Shower before swimming. Don’t swallow pool water. And for families, remember that swim diapers slow things down but don’t stop the spread. The Washington outbreak is over with no hospitalizations or deaths, but the habits that prevent the next one are on all of us.
When’s the last time you thought about pool hygiene before cannonballing in?
