Vic gastro outbreak linked to pools OVERHEATED Victorians could be in the poo, literally, if they sought relief at the local pool. Victoria's chief health officer Dr Rosemary Lester said there has been a three-fold increase in gastro cases after hot weather sparked people seeking to cool off at public swimming pools. She urged those who have had diarrhoea not to go into a swimming pool for at least 14 days after symptoms had stopped for fear of passing on the bug. Dr Lester said the cryptosporidium gastro parasite could not be killed by normal levels of chlorination. "Cryptosporidiosis is typically caused by swallowing contaminated water, household contact with a case and contact with farm animals," she said. Authorities are working with swimming pool owners to implement extra measures to kill the parasite. Symptoms included watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting, Dr Lester said. Dr Lester urged sufferers to shower before swimming to avoid infecting others, with children and the elderly particularly at risk. There were 155 Victorian cases of gastro caused by the cryptosporidium parasite last month, three times the February average of 53.