VISITORS to farms, including those that offer petting facilities for children, are being warned not to kiss, cuddle and hold the animals after an outbreak of a parasitic infection that causes serious gastrointestinal illness has continued.

There were 17 outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis linked to farms in England and Wales in 2024, while earlier this year more than 80 people fell ill due to infections linked to a petting farm in Cowbridge.

The infection led to 16 people requiring hospital care for at least one night, including a four-year-old boy.

Now Public Health Wales (PHW) has repeated earlier warnings. A report by PHW said people who had closer levels of contact were much more likely to become ill with cryptosporidium than those who did not touch the animals.