Health officials announce more cases of cryptosporidium
The number of cryptosporidium cases in Lawrence has risen to 46, the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department announced Friday morning.
Twenty-seven of those cases are in children under age 18, the department said.
The department plans a 3 p.m. press conference Friday afternoon to further discuss the outbreak.
Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that causes diarrhea, loose or watery stool, stomach cramps, upset stomach and a slight fever. It can be fatal to patients with weakened immune systems, such as the young, elderly or people with HIV. More than two-thirds of those who contract cryptosporidiosis are children.
The parasite is easily passed in swimming pools because it is able to survive outside the body for long periods of time and is resistant to levels of chlorine typically found in pools.
For more on this story, see the 6News reports at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. and pick up a copy of Saturday’s Journal-World.
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