The Northern Kentucky Health Department is investigating an outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis, better known as crypto, within the Northern Kentucky area this week.

The cryptosporidium parasite causes a gastrointestinal illness marked by abdominal cramps, watery diarrhea, low-grade fever, vomiting and nausea.

As of Friday afternoon, there are a dozen confirmed cases and “numerous” probable cases. About half of the confirmed cases are associated with Silverlake Water Park in Erlanger, the health department said.

Health department spokesperson Skip Tate said the water park has been very cooperative, having “super-chlorinated” their pool. The park remains open, Tate added.

The water park did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tate said the other half of the cases came from other sources, such as one person who was kayaking in the Little Miami River.

Those impacted range from 2 years old to adult, he added.

As part of the outbreak response efforts, the Northern Kentucky Health Department is investigating, providing related guidance to facilities and individuals, and taking associated actions to reduce risks.

What are the symptoms?

Crypto is a gastrointestinal illness. Common symptoms include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, low-grade fever, vomiting and nausea. These conditions can lead to dehydration and similar concerns.

However, a person’s symptoms can vary and some may not show any symptoms.

Who is at risk?

Crypto parasites can infect humans and animals and are shed in their feces. Young children and people immunologically suppressed are at increased risk for more severe illness.

Individuals who are directly exposed to water, food, soil, or surfaces contaminated with feces and then swallow the microscopic oocysts of the parasite can become infected. Inadequate handwashing is a common means of spreading crypto, which is extremely resilient to disinfectants and tougher to kill than most disease-causing organisms in the environment.

Common levels of chlorine disinfection measures have limited effect on the parasite, and alcohol hand sanitizers are ineffective. However, persistent cleaning and disinfection of surfaces can help reduce exposure, particularly in bathrooms and other high-risk areas.

What should you do if you’re experiencing symptoms?

The incubation period for Crypto is two to 10 days, with most people developing symptoms within seven days of exposure. In otherwise healthy individuals, symptoms usually subside within a couple of weeks with supportive care to treat the symptoms and avoid dehydration. Crypto can be transmitted for two weeks or more after symptoms subside.

• Individuals with confirmed crypto, loose stool or watery diarrhea, or who have had such conditions should not use swimming pools or other public bathing facilities for at least two weeks after symptoms have stopped.
• Diaper changing should take place in bathrooms or otherwise designated locations and not on pool decks, chairs or tables. It is recommended that children, who are not potty trained or are still in diapers, should not be in public swimming pools as this increases the risk of transmitting the illness if infected.
• Handwashing with soap and water should be done after using the restroom, changing diapers, before handling food items or eating, and after touching animals.  

Additional information on cryptosporidium can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. The health department recommends you see your medical provider if you or your children have symptoms or believe you need testing for crypto.

Four-star center Malachi Moreno just committed to the Kentucky Wildcats. Moreno is ranked as the 25th-best player in the 2025 class according to On3’s composite rankings, but he is the number one center in the class.

This was a big time get for Coach Mark Pope and the rest of the Kentucky coaching staff as Moreno is an in-state player and it is always important to keep those players at home. Moreno picked the Wildcats over schools like Indiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Notre Dame.

The question is, what are Coach Pope and the Kentucky coaching staff getting in a player like Moreno? The short answer is they are getting exactly what the staff wants in a big man. When watching film on Moreno, at first glance, he looks like a center who would primarily be a defense and dunk type of player, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Moreno is extremely fluid with basketball for someone his size. He can dribble and pass, which is exactly what centers have to do in Kentucky’s new offensive system. He has a jump shot that he will pull out occasionally, but it’s not his calling card.

Moreno is a solid shot blocker and rebounder, so he will be able to help on the defensive side of the floor. The best part of Moreno’s game is his skillset around the rim. He is extremely shifty around the rim making it hard for opposing bigs to guard him.

Moreno is an excellent player, and he is a great start to the 2025 class for the Kentucky Wildcats. He is going to be a hometown hero, and Moreno has NBA lottery pick upside.

Deep in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge—renowned for its stunning sandstone arches and world-class climbing routes—the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition is working to make rock climbing more accessible. Curtis Rogers and Jereme Ransick, two key members of that coalition, are leading the push to have Kentucky’s recreational land use law specifically permit rock climbing. It would protect private landowners from liability in case of climbers’ injuries on their property, opening more private land for climbing.

Kentucky’s recreational land use law protects landowners from liability if a person uses their property for activities like hunting, horseback riding, or picnicking. Rock climbing is not specifically cited, so many landowners have been very leery of allowing climbers access to their cliffs. This has been a real barrier because some of the better climbing locations in the state are lay on private land.

These are challenges Rogers and Ransick know all too well. They have spent countless hours bushwhacking through dense forests and scrambling up muddy hillsides to reconnoiter potential climbing routes. One such cliff, which they’ve already bolted for climbing, is owned by real estate developer Ian Teal. Teal has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Climbers’ Coalition to allow climbing on his property while he develops it into a resort. Teal would like rock climbing included in the state code because he believes it can further protect people like him from liability if someone gets hurt.

The Coalition’s efforts were well-received when it recently made its case to Kentucky lawmakers. Rogers and Ransick are now working to find a sponsor for the bill, hoping it will pass in the next legislative session in January. Their effort mirrors an increasingly broad nationwide trend that has seen similar laws enacted to protect landowners and promote rock climbing, such as in Colorado, Texas, and West Virginia.

Beyond legal protections, the amendment could boost Kentucky’s tourism industry. Rock climbing is increasingly recognized as a major draw for visitors, especially in central Appalachian regions striving to diversify their economies away from a declining industry like coal mining. Rogers, Ransick, and the Climbers’ Coalition view the proposed legal change as not only a victory for climbers but also a driver of economic growth and outdoor recreation for Kentucky.