HIV doesn’t spread through pools but some online users wrongly claim people are getting infected

HIV and AIDS can’t spread through swimming pools, but a recent Facebook post claims that four people were infected after taking a dip in Texas. 

"HOA pool infected with AIDS," reads what looks like a screenshot of a post recently shared on Facebook that used an acronym for "homeowners association."

The text continues: "4th person tested positive this week. Make sure everyone that visited this pool gets checked. The pool wasn’t cared for and chemicals were not used." 

A map below the text shows a section of Arlington, Texas.

"No pools for me this summer," said the account sharing the screenshot April 27.

This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

PolitiFact contacted the city of Arlington about the post — and whether city officials have received any reports of a pool infecting people with AIDS like the one described in the post — but didn’t hear back. 

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Medical experts, including at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Stanford Medicine, say that neither HIV nor AIDS can spread through swimming pools or hot tubs.

As Stanford Medicine notes, HIV is spread most commonly by sexual contact with an infected partner. It can also spread through contact with infected blood and by sharing needles and syringes. The virus can also be spread to babies born to or breastfed by infected mothers.  

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