THE bug outbreak in the Newport Centre pool has been declared over.

Twenty people were confirmed as having cryptosporidiosis who used the swimming pool at the Newport Centre.

Public Health Wales and the Environmental Health departments of Newport City Council and Torfaen County Borough Council have been investigating an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis since the beginning of September.

The pool was closed by Newport City Council when informed of a potential problem on 6 September. Water sampling was then undertaken, this revealed the bug to be present. Since then the pool has been thoroughly cleaned and a number of modifications have been made.

Dr Lika Nehaul, Consultant in Communicable Disease Control for Public Health Wales, said: "We are confident that the cleaning of the pool, along with improvements to the pool filter systems, has cleared the problem and that the outbreak can be declared over.

"I would like to remind the public that personal hygiene is of the utmost importance in preventing infection with cryptosporidium in a swimming pool environment. Anyone who has been unwell with diarrhoea or vomiting should stay away from work or school, and also the swimming pool, for at least 48 hours after they have recovered.