Public pools host skin, eye diseases

• Source: Global Times
• [08:11 August 03 2010]
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A health certificate (above) is given to those that pass checks at public pools. Photo: Cai Xianmin

By Craig Curtis

As high temperatures carry on and residents look to cool off by taking a dip in swimming pools across the city, medical experts are cautioning people to take precautions to reduce the public health risks that come with splashing around in public waters.

Local doctors say that skin and eye diseases, including rashes and pinkeye, are most commonly transmitted in public pools, either by people who already have the disease, or by swimmers with diarrhea.

According to Zhou Rumi, director of the swimming management department of the Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau, the government body in charge of the matter, the city works to prevent the spread of such transmittable diseases by requiring everyone to obtain a health certification before being permitted to enter all public swim-ming facilities, which include pools in hotels and health clubs.

"We send department staff out on a weekly basis to inspect such places to ensure that public swimming areas are complying with the law," he told the Global Times Monday.

But on a recent weekend trip to Dino Beach, the only outdoor water park in the city, located in Minhang district, this Global Times reporter found staff failing to check visitors before admitting them.

When contacted by the Global Times Monday about standard procedures at the park, Zhou Dawei, an official at Dino Beach, said that all questionable visitors are required to undergo physical checks for transmittable diseases, before entry is permitted.