Hot tub users are being made aware of the dangers and health risks associated with hot tubs after a man spent six days a in a coma after picking up a mystery bug.
Water treatment specialists Hydrochem were asked to carry out water tests on the hot tub after the man was taken ill. Now Hydrochem’s managing director, Bill Abbott, is urging people to take extra care with hot tub maintenance.
Referring to the victim, Bill said: “His mother was put in contact with us for advice after she became concerned. What had initially started as a sore throat turned into a virus and he was eventually admitted to hospital after rapidly deteriorating.
“We tested the water before sending the sample off to a lab and it was horrendous. The amount of bacteria was off the scale. If you think there are half a million bacteria in one millilitre of water, then multiply that and the numbers are astronomical.”
Bill added: “It turned out that the hot tub had been standing for a couple of days and this gentleman had jumped in and put his head under the water – his illness could have stemmed back to that.”
The victim is thankfully making a good recovery but Bill has warned others to make sure they take safety precautions before using hot tubs.
He said: “If people hire or buy their own hot tub, it is vital they follow the safety instructions in terms of treating the water and using the right volume of chemicals.
“They should be testing the water every two hours with chemicals and treating with sanitiser to make sure the balance is right.”
