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CDC warns of new parasite that lives up to 10 days in pool

By Cox Media Group National Content Desk

With the summer heat intensifying, more people are getting in the water to cool off.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning swimmers about a parasite called cryptosporidium, a growing threat that can survive in chlorinated water.

The CDC issued a report that says the illness affected at least 1,788 people and resulted in at least 95 hospitalizations and one death during its latest study that ended in 2012.

The parasite is too small to see but could be in the water your child plays in and causes symptoms like diarrhea.

But the CDC said there are ways you can protect your family.

Making sure swimmers shower off before jumping in will help keep the parasite from entering the pool.

"We have a rule before you go in … Everyone needs to take a shower," Danielle Euwema said. "We have an outside shower which is really convenient."

Doctors also recommend anyone experiencing diarrhea stay out of the water to prevent the spread of the parasite.

The CDC says even with chlorine, the parasite could survive in the water for up to ten days.

The parasite called cryptosporidium is now being found in back yard pools. The CDC says cases have increased in the past few years with the majority of outbreaks associated with swimming in pools and hot tubs.

One of the ways a person can get the parasite is by swallowing the water its living in.