Dubai pools infested with bacteria

Recent tests on water quality of Dubai’s residential pools revealed a shocking reality: a number of them were infested with bacteria, posing health risk to pool users. Coli Forms, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Fecal Streptococcus – ever heard these names before? They are in fact, commonly found bacteria growing in Dubai pools – perhaps the very same pool your child is swimming in. Reports shared to XPRESS by MAK Pools, a certified pool maintenance company in Dubai showed one pool in Arabian Ranches infected with two types of bacteria ‘Coliforms and Pseudomonas aeruginosa’. Dr. Samitha Rajkumar, Pediatrician & Director of Pediatric Department, Unicare Dubai said: “Someone drinking water from a pool infested with ‘Coliforms’ is likely to get a gastro-intestinal infection. Typical infections from the bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa are ear, throat and eye infection. Since the bacteria can grow anywhere in the body, any part of the body can be infected.”Test of another pool in Meadows showed bacteria Fecal Streptococcus growing. “Again this bacteria can cause an infection anywhere in the body. Other common infections from swimming in a badly maintained pool include skin rashes, conjunctivitis, stomach ailments, urinary tract and vaginal infections in young girls.” Dr. Rajkumar said it was common to see pool related infections amongst children especially during summer. “We see more cases during this time as children are either learning to swim or are regularly taking a dip in their pools. Treatments for such infections vary and can be treated through anti-biotics or otherwise, depending on the scale of infection.” She cautioned community and building managed pools to do regular test of their pool to keep infections at bay. “Schools generally take efforts to regularly test for bacteria in pools, but am not sure how far community and building managed pools do this. Unchecked pools can cause a number of bacterial, viral and fungal infections.” What is striking is that most pool users are unaware of bacteria growing in their pools until someone falls sick and a micro-biological test of the pool water is done. “Nearly 60 per cent of our customers are clueless about whether their pools are contaminated as they have not got a micro-biological test of their pool water done. We manage 1,000 pools in a week and only 40 per cent of them – usually those used by children –regularly check their pool for bacterial infestations. There is a high risk that the rest 60 per cent of the pools are contaminated, without people aware of it,” said Kumail Somji Owner, MAK Pools. He said a bacteriological analysis of pool water cost only Dh350, yet few take the test. “This summer we even slashed the rate by 50 per cent, still, we had only few takers for it,” he said. from gulfnews.com