Latest news with #cryptosporidiosis
BBC News
4 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Cryptosporidium: open farm day visitors warned over parasite risk
Tens of thousands of visitors due to attend a UK-wide open farm day this weekend have been warned about a parasitic infection that causes serious gastrointestinal were 17 outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis linked to farms in England and Wales in 2024 and an outbreak in south Wales earlier this year has seen dozens of people fall to inspection reports from the past five years - released to the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act - some farms repeatedly ignored health inspectors' advice and allowed children to handle sick animals in filthy organisers of Open Farm Sunday, which sees 190,000 visitors, said its farms have high health and safety standards. Cryptosporidium can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea and is spread through direct contact with animals or touching surfaces that have animal faeces on them. The young, pregnant women and those with health conditions which affect their immune system can be particularly Health Wales said individual cases of cryptosporidiosis linked to visits to Cowbridge Farm Shop at Marlborough Grange Farm in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, this spring had now risen to 89 England, one of those affected after a farm visit was Emily Fryer's six-year-old son was admitted to hospital after falling ill following a visit to Gannow Farm in Worcestershire last Fryer told the BBC: "He didn't eat or drink for about five days. He just slept all the time. His sugars were dangerously low and they admitted him. "Obviously, I was really worried then. Because he is autistic and non-verbal, we didn't really know how we could help him." Mrs Fryer said the family had taken hygiene seriously when they visited the farm and had washed their hands thoroughly using facilities provided on site. A year earlier the farm had been issued with a prohibition notice by the Health and Safety Executive because it was failing to prevent or control the risk of exposure to cryptosporidium. Those issues were dealt with and the farm was licensed to show animals to the public in Fryer said she was disappointed that the farm had been allowed to reopen to visitors."I just think it's awful," she owners of the farm, which has now stopped its open days, declined to comment when approached by the BBC but have previously said they had "made every precaution possible" to prevent an farms across the UK have had to diversify their businesses over recent years to boost their profitability, with public open days, petting farms and play barns becoming an important source of inspection reports released to the BBC under the Freedom Information Act by the UK's national cryptosporidium reference unit show that a small number of farms are not meeting health and safety standards - and, in extreme cases, are ignoring warnings from one farm in Wales, which was linked to a number of outbreaks, inspectors found sick animals kept on display and a lack of handwashing facilities, risk assessments and staff training. According to reports, the inspectors told the farm those failings were "consistent with those identified previously. This indicates you are failing to maintain the required improvements from one season to the next". Another farm visited in 2023 had also failed to implement recommendations from a previous inspection, which led to another outbreak of cryptosporidiosis, while another farm, due to host a school visit a few days after inspection, was found to be failing."Comparing current visit to last year found the conditions worse," the report noted. 'Huge task' The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the 16 outbreaks in England last year was a provisional figure and data analysis due to be published later in the month may see that Public Health Wales and the UKHSA have warned the estimated 190,000 visitors who will be visiting the 250 farms taking part in Open Farm Sunday this weekend to make sure they take basic hygiene Hatton, an education specialist for organisers of the open farm event LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), said all its participating farmers were given advice and training on how best to keep visitors safe."We are supporting farmers to open their farms and with their risk assessments. We are on the phone with farmers checking in with them throughout the planning process and helping them to understand how to ensure that that visit goes smoothly and everyone goes home happy and healthy," she farm manager who says he is ensuring the highest health and safety standards for visitors on Sunday is Andy Bason, who will be welcoming around 2,000 visitors onto Newhouse Farm, Alresford, said LEAF's health and safety training had "really opened my eyes to what's needed to host this kind of event"."With the kind of numbers we see, it is a huge task. We want everyone to come here, have a great day and go home safe without any illness," he National Farmers' Union (NFU) said that the health and safety of all visitors to farms was "taken extremely seriously".
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
South West Water boss apologises over parasite outbreak
The boss of South West Water (SWW) has said she unreservedly apologises for a parasite outbreak in south Devon a year an interview with the BBC, Pennon Group CEO Susan Davy said she suffered "sleepless nights" as communities in Brixham and Kingswear grappled with the outbreak at the than 100 cases of cryptosporidiosis were linked to the outbreak, while tourism firms reported losing millions of pounds, after the parasite was found in a reservoir on 15 May to criticism over bill rises, Ms Davy conceded the increases were "too much" for some, but were needed to fund an upgrade of the sewerage network in Devon and Cornwall, a process that could take 15 years. Thousands of residents in Brixham and surrounding areas last year were put under a boil water notice after the parasite was found in the water supply and residents became unwell, including some who were admitted to hospital, with the diarrhoea-type firm was criticised for acting too slowly to warn residents while an industry association estimated tourism businesses lost £34m in bookings at the time. Ms Davy said she wanted to "reiterate my unreserved apology" for the affect on residents and businesses."It was a very difficult time for them and they showed a lot of patience with us as we got the drinking water back to where it needed to be," she how she had personally coped during the crisis, she added: "I certainly had sleepless nights last year and I had sleepless nights through the 2022 drought as well. "This is a 24/7 operation and my focus is on making sure we supply our customers and they get the services they need." The SWW boss said she regretted if people felt she was absent during the crisis."I wasn't absent, I was there," she said."I was meeting customers, meeting the community and making sure everything was happening as it needed to for that very difficult operation."So, I wasn't hiding, I was there in Brixham." Ms Davy said "sometimes things do go wrong" with a large network."Occasionally, things go wrong and this went wrong," she said."This is our network, it was our water." Regarding sewage spills, Ms Davy said SWW "had to redesign" its overflow systems to prevent them."We have to stop those spills, we want to stop those spills and we're working on it now," she said. "I can't lie, it's going to take us 15 years to get this programme of redesigning done, and we have £3.2bn of investment that we're putting in over the next few years to assist with redesigning our waste water system."She said the company had listened to customers and its priority was ensuring water quality on bathing beaches. "We want to make sure they're as good as they can be," she said. 'Tailored' bills Ms Davy also responded to criticism following last month's bill increases when the average SWW customer saw their bills rise by 28%.Customers had said they were angry and concerned with the increase, with one describing it as "daylight robbery".When asked what the company was doing to address the issue, Ms Davy said SWW "tailored" bills to customers by offering different support and tariffs, some which deduct 85% off bills."The bills this year on average have been about £1.85 a day," she said."I know for some customers that is £1.85 too much and we need to sit there and support them and work out how we can do that."
RNZ News
08-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Cryptosporidiosis cases continue to rise in Wellington
A coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a group of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis bacteria. Photo: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY The number of cryptosporidiosis cases in the Wellington region has risen to 90, with four cases reported in the past week. Medical Officer of Health for the National Public Health Service Dr Jill McKenzie said the number of new cases continued to decrease, and over the past month, the number had been similar to the same time last year. Health New Zealand said initially most cases were associated with swimming pools , however, recent cases were more likely to be from close contact with an infected person. However, the agency continued to liaise with any swimming pool or early childhood education centre that might be associated with a case, to support with limiting further spread. Crypto is a gastro bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea, and people can remain infectious for up to two weeks. People who have been unwell must not swim for two weeks after diarrhoea has stopped because crypto can still spread for two weeks after the illness has gone away. Children can return to preschool once symptom free for 48 hours with a focus on promoting good hand washing and drying. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
