Posted on 07/15/2018 7:12:54 AM PDT by BenLurkin
An investigation continues into what has caused hundreds of visitors to a Tennessee zip line destination to suddenly develop a gastrointestinal illness. More than 500 people have reported symptoms including stomachache, nausea and vomiting after visiting the CLIMB Works Zipline Canopy Tour in Gatlinburg.
The Tennessee Department of Health announced Thursday that officials are continuing to look for the cause of the illnesses.
At this time, we cannot point to one simple cause of this outbreak, John Dunn, the departments deputy state epidemiologist, said in the news release about the investigation.
Since June, several visitors to the CLIMB Works facility tested positive for the common stomach bug norovirus, according to the department. Norovirus causes acute gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach or intestines. Symptoms, which typically last one to three days, include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.
One patient tested positive for both norovirus and enteropathogenic E. coli, a diarrheal pathogen, according to the department. Symptoms of E. coli infection may last several days.
Preliminary testing and environmental health assessments indicate the water system at the zip line facility may have contributed to the outbreak; however, there are likely other sources involved in the spread of the illnesses, including contaminated surfaces and person-to-person transmission, Dunn said.
Water testing has indicated fecal contamination of the facilitys water system, he said. Additional preliminary testing has identified enteropathogenic E. coli. Testing of clinical and environmental samples is still underway to look for bacterial, viral and parasitic organisms. Its important to note that while norovirus is reliably identified in stool samples during outbreak investigations, identifying it in food, water and the environment is more challenging.
The Department of Health said CLIMB Works, which uses well water, has been cooperating fully with the public health investigation.
(Excerpt) Read more at wreg.com ...
"...E. coli..."
“Don’t drink the water”
Didn’t Johnny Cash sing - I Lick The Line?
Did they have the steak or the fish?
"....wait...did that say chit in the water?....eeewwww"
There was a South Park episode about the dangers of zip lining. Obviously they didn’t heed the warning about excessive Mountain Dew.
And don’t stand under the zipline.
Was it the mountain oysters eaten the night before?
Lardass!
At this time, we cannot point to one simple cause of this outbreak,
And from the same story comes this:
Water testing has indicated fecal contamination of the facilitys water system,
Ding ding ding, I think we have identified the cause.
Its alway the water, or something washed with the water.
And some people still ridicule those who buy and consume bottled water.
Apparently the water.. is not well.
I’d have to put my money on ‘employees’ that come from a country that doesn’t have full sanitary infrastructure aka no toilets and with no toilets, does one really buy toilet paper?
New immigration rule. Learn the Pledge of Allegiance and how to use a restroom
Who took a dump in the well?
Yep, I just lost any interest in that lil activity. Hehehe. d;^)
There; fixed it. No charge.
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