A report issued by the staff of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in the US has indicated that the average number of drowning deaths in pools and spas involving children younger than five has increased.

The comparison was drawn from yearly averages and showed an increase from 267 (for 2002-2004) to 283 (for 2003-2005).

However, the average number of emergency room pool and spa pool submersion injuries decreased by a 1,000 from an annual average of 2,800 (for 2004-2006) to 2,700 (for 2005-2007).

A new Federal pool and spa safety law was signed by the US President last year in late December. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act requires that, by 19 December 2008, all US public pools and spas have safety drain covers and, in certain circumstances, an anti-entrapment system.

According to the CPSC, drowning most commonly occurs when children get access to the pool during a short lapse in adult supervision. New CPSC data shows that, between 1999 and 2007, there were 74 reported incidents involving entrapment, resulting in nine deaths and 63 injuries. Details: cpsc.gov