By Glenn Howatt Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Fri., July 6, 2018 Taking a cool, refreshing dip in a lake or swimming pool is one of summer’s enjoyments and sometimes a necessary escape from the stifling heat. But two recent federal health studies found that some waters are better than others, at least when it comes to avoiding water-borne illnesses. Of 633 outbreaks nationwide caused by bacteria, viruses or other things floating around, nearly 80 per cent of them were traced to water that was treated with chlorine or other chemicals in swimming pools, hot tubs or wading pools. Most illnesses cause intestinal problems and diarrhea. The studies, which tracked outbreaks from 2000 through 2014, found 493 outbreaks where 27,219 people were sickened and eight died from pathogens in recreational water treated with chemicals. The figures do not include sicknesses linked to private pools or cases where just one person got ill. By comparison, there were just 140 outbreaks … [Read more...] about Swimming pools, hot tubs more likely than lakes to make you sick: Studies
Swimming pool deaths
How the investigation into the deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman turned from murder-suicide to double homicide
By Kevin Donovan Chief Investigative Reporter Tues., May 8, 2018 Veteran forensic pathologist Dr. David Chiasson stood beside Barry Sherman’s body on the stainless steel table, preparing to do a second, private autopsy. Natural light filtered through the frosted glass windows of the modern Ontario coroner’s building. Three private detectives, former homicide cops, stood nearby. The skin was missing from around Sherman’s wrists, surgically removed by another pathologist several days before in the first examination, the official autopsy requested by the police. The same had been done to Honey Sherman’s wrists. Why? Chiasson wondered. The answer, provided to Chiasson by the first pathologist, and other pieces of information learned that day last December eventually changed the police theory on the Sherman deaths from murder-suicide to double homicide. Read more: Barry Sherman was helping to develop ‘pot pill’ for medical … [Read more...] about How the investigation into the deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman turned from murder-suicide to double homicide
New York City’s window guard policy tied to fewer falls and deaths
(Reuters Health) - New York City's window guard rule, which requires building owners to install window-limiting devices in apartments with children under age 10, has led to a dramatic reduction in injuries and deaths, researchers say.Before the rule was adopted in 1976, dozens of young children would fall from windows as they were propped open during the warm months, the study authors write in the journal Injury Prevention."Window guards are something we take for granted nowadays, but when New York residents receive a window guard notice, what's behind that piece of paper is a full infrastructure that started decades ago," said lead author Dr. Amita Toprani, medical director of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Bureau of Environmental Disease and Injury Prevention."The program has saved hundreds of children's lives," she told Reuters Health in a telephone interview. "It's invisible in our day-to-day lives, but it's constantly happening."Toprani and colleagues … [Read more...] about New York City’s window guard policy tied to fewer falls and deaths
News Think before you swim: What you need to know about coliform in seawater
MANILA - If you think the only danger in swimming in the open seas is drowning, then you have to think again. The government has started cleaning up popular beaches and tourist destinations as Filipinos gear up for summer. The most recent casualty is top tourist destination Boracay, which President Rodrigo Duterte dubbed a "cesspool." In 2008, the government also prohibited swimming and diving in Manila Bay due to pollution. One of the most common problems in beaches? Water that may be unsafe for swimming. The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) classifies different bodies of water according to use. Recreational Water Class 1 covers those intended for primacy contact recreation, which includes bathing and swimming, while bodies of water intended for fishing and irrigation, among others, falls under a different category. Bodies of water intended for recreation are deemed safe if they fall within 100 MPN (most … [Read more...] about News Think before you swim: What you need to know about coliform in seawater
Singapore: 31-year-old Chinese national found dead near M Hotel swimming pool
A 31-year-old man was found dead on Tuesday, February 13 near the swimming pool at M Hotel on Anson Road. The deceased was identified as a Chinese national by the hotel staff who discovered him unconscious near the pool area and took him to Singapore General Hospital, where doctors declared him dead before arrival. The police were alerted at around 4.15 pm on Tuesday and they said they are investigating the case. According to a hotel spokesman, when hotel workers found the body, they administered emergency CPR before the arrival of Singapore Civil Defence Forces (SCDF). The Chinese embassy, located at 150 Tanglin Road, was informed by the hotel staff about the death of the man. The hotel staff said they are in touch with the family of the deceased man and provided the required support. The pool area was closed for the investigation process to be re-opened on Thursday, said the staff. The police investigation is underway to determine the cause of death. … [Read more...] about Singapore: 31-year-old Chinese national found dead near M Hotel swimming pool