Councillor wants better answers from council after Splashes Norovirus outbreak

by Dan Surrey

A Medway councillor is unhappy with a report into the Norovirus outbreak at Splashes Leisure Centre in October.

The report was released after up to 80 children fell ill with the bug after visiting the pool for a Halloween party.

The report states that all the necessary procedures are in place at the centre in Rainham after youngsters were struck down with symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea.

But Andy Stamp, the Regeneration and Communities spokesperson for the Labour group in Medway, explained that he wasn’t satisfied with the answers given in the report.

“The Council’s report only answered generic questions about the day-to-day procedures for running the pool.

“The answers were not related to the specific Norovirus outbreak at Splashes over Halloween, so they could have provided these in December when I originally requested them.

“I have been given some reassurance by the answers provided that the cleaning and emergency procedures in place and staff training are sufficient to protect public health.

“What we don’t know however is whether those procedures were followed during the period leading up to the Norovirus outbreak.

At the time, Stamp raised concerns that budget cuts across Medway may have had an effect on the ability of Splashes to maintain a safe environment for the public.

“I’m still concerned that budget cuts may have had an impact.

“There were staff vacancies at the time of the outbreak and they had been there for some time but I have been informed that staffing will not be cut further over the next year.”

Originally, the report had been due for release in December but was its release was delayed until January.

The leisure centre was shut as a precaution for a period so staff could increase the chlorine levels in the water and carry out a deep clean of the pool.

Some people had to take their children to hospital after visiting the pool and officials from Medway Council’s environmental health team visited families to collect samples.

After tests were carried out at the centre and families were visited it was determined that the Norovirus was responsible for the sickness.

Medway Council wouldn’t comment on the report before another report, by Public Health England, is released in the coming months.

At the time of the outbreak the council said that the cause of the outbreak was probably someone visiting the centre while they were ill.

They also said in a statement: “We have thoroughly cleaned the pool and changing areas and have increased chlorine levels in the pool.

“We have taken necessary precautions to stop the potential spread of germs in the future.”