Parents warned nurseries are 'hotspots' as cryptosporidium cases hit 46

An urgent warning has been issued to parents as nurseries are branded "parasite hotspots". Hundreds of people are ill after tap water in the seaside town of Brixham was found to be contaminated with cryptosporidium, with 46 hit and kids at high risk.

"We could see spread in nurseries and playgroups where one child has been infected in the area but not all the children," Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia, told Sun Health today.

Anyone can catch it, but the illness is particularly common in children between 1 and 5 years old. "Children are more likely to pass on bugs to their peers than adults as they often forget to wash their hands after going to the toilet or before eating," Prof Paul said. "And their stools can hold remnants of the bug for longer," he added.

READ MORE Camilla says Charles is 'quite cross' as she issues rare cancer update

"The bug could also spread if visitors drank the water while in the area and only got sick when they got back home, wherever in the UK or world they lived," he explained. Touching infected poo and then putting your unwashed hands near your mouth is a common way of catching cryptosporidiosis. You can also get it by swallowing contaminated water while swimming or drinking untreated water.

Elaine Hollier, 80, was hospitalised after suffering severe dehydration and vomiting for two weeks. Dennis, Elaine's husband of 60 years, said: “She was absolutely diabolical. It has been so upsetting to see my wife in a hospital bed with tubes sticking out of her arms for antibiotics.

"She’s got no appetite and no energy. I was dead worried for myself too because they didn’t have a clue.” Symptoms can last around 2 weeks, with the illness seeming to improve and then returning before you properly recover. The only way to know for sure if you have the illness is by getting tested by your doctor.