Highly contagious SoCal parasite outbreak linked to $1.3B resort pools under investigation

Another day, another diarrhea outbreak.

A pricey Southern California resort where rooms rent for hundreds of dollars a night is the latest player in the poopy mess that has been the American summer of 2026, according to a local health department.

Public health officials in San Diego County are warning anyone who swam in the pools at the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center in Chula Vista between Jul. 24 and Aug. 15 they may have been exposed to a highly-contagious parasite — known for landing unwitting water lovers in a stinky situation that can last weeks.

The agency is currently investigating four cases of cryptosporidiosis, known as “crypto” for short, known to cause watery diarrhea — all connected back to the the sprawling, 4.25-acre pool complex at the 1,600-room property.

The Gaylord Pacific was constructed to the tune of $1.3 billion — a cost somewhat controversially subsidized by hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars.

The nasty and unwelcome water hazard is notably resistant to chlorine, experts say — and can outlive even the most careful pool cleaners.

The county did not specify whether or not the pools were improperly maintained, KGTV reported.

The California Post asked Gaylord Pacific representatives to comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Besides being a top tourist draw to San Diego’s South Bay region, the Gaylord Pacific is a firm favorite with local families — who are able to access the water park-style pool area by booking affordable day passes starting at just $12.50. Those passes regularly sell out.

Cryptosporidiosis is a common parasitic infection — affecting roughly 800,000 people in the United States each year. Symptoms usually show up days after being exposed.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

The parasite is able to live in water, food, soil and on surfaces that have been contaminated with infected fecal matter, according to the CDC.

Those affected by the icky intruder will typically need one or two weeks to ride it out, the agency said.

During the time of infection, it’s easy to spread the bacteria — making good hygiene important. Most people with healthy immune systems have no trouble recovering.

And definitely don’t swim while infected — a likely culprit for the latest, high-profile outbreak, medical pros say.

“The tricky thing about this is that even if a person no longer has symptoms, they can still be shedding the oocytes of the parasitic infection, and that’s where we see the contamination or that’s where we see the spread,” family medicine physician Brynn Taylor told KGTV.