You know those cool Instagram shots of hikers swimming by picturesque waterfalls all over Hong Kong?
Turns out, they might not be so great after all.
A 21-year-old man who went swimming near a waterfall by the Tai Tam Reservoir last month ended up contracting an infectious bacterial disease called leptospirosis, according to a report published by the Centre of Health Protection yesterday.
The unnamed man, who had two friends with him in Tai Tam, went to Queen Elizabeth Hospital after he came down with a fever while also vomiting, post-waterfall swim. He was also said to have had a headache and, scarily, “bone pain”, reports Oriental Daily.
The good news is, the man is now OK and left hospital near the end of last month. The bad news? This marks the first case in Hong Kong where the disease was contracted locally.
Leptospirosis spreads in rodents, dogs and animals.
Next time, maybe think twice before taking the plunge in pools of waters you see on a hike… especially as it could be illegal. In Hong Kong, anyone who “bathes or washes in a waterworks” can be slapped with a fine of HKD50,000 and up to two years in prison.
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