Waterborne illness in the United States contracted during recreation costs $2.9B a year — 3 observations

Water recreation in the United States accounts for over 90 million cases of GI and other illnesses per year, with an annual cost of approximately $2.9 billion, according to a study published in Environmental Health.

Here are three things you should know:

1. Lost productivity accounted for $663 million, or 23 percent of the total loss, due to the large number of people who could not attend work.

2. Illnesses of moderate severity only accounted for 9.2 percent of waterborne illnesses, but made up 65 percent of the economic burden.

3. Among those with moderate illness, healthcare provider and emergency department visits accounted for 81 percent of the cost.

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