Calgary: Norovirus Victims Approach 1000 (Alaska, New Orleans and Finland also affected!)

International Society for Infectious Disease ^ | 19 Dec 2002

[Henchman]

Well said. I was trying to think of a way of expressing what you said so well. One poster stated 3 women croaked - sad, but no one tied it to the Norwalk vius. I doubt this "epidemic" is an A-Q or other terror attack. Flu is normal for this time of year.

OTOH the West Nile virus is probably an A-Q attack. Big epidemic, virus studied and weaponized by Iraq; first and extremely virulent, deadly epidemic; not located by Blix (deliver all stool samples directly to him)

[OldBlondBabe]

I was sick with something last week with the same symptoms. The worst part was severe abdominal pain for about 3-5 hours. (Poor husband didn't get much sleep and had to go to work.) Felt crappy for better part of the week, but managed. Seems to me this is not unlike other gastro type infections, you just have to get over it and treat the symptoms(although anything like this is dangerous for the elderly, infants, and immune deficient).
Maybe what's driving some to the hospital is the severe abdominal pain (at times it seemed unbearable to me and I had all my kids med-free.)

By the way, at our house we call activity at one end, the "Hershey's (as in squirts) and the other end the "Ralphs". No use of the phrase "up-chucking"out of respect for my father, Charles.

[OldBlondBabe]

"Flu is normal for this time of year."

"Flu" is often used to describe gastro-intestinal illnesses which is incorrect. Flu, short for influenza is a RESPIRATORY virus with symptoms including fever, bodyaches, headache, severe cough, sore throat, and fatigue. Diarreah, and vomiting may be present but are usually because of reactions to the fever. What is dangerous about the "flu" (influenza) is that it can lead to pneumonia, and death in the elderly, and immune compromised. That is why the elderly are encouraged to get flu shots.

I once heard a man ask the local pharmacist to recommend something (OTC) for his wife, who had the "flu". The pharmacist, realizing how often the two are confused, asked the man to describe his wife's symptoms....gastro. Totally different recommendation needed.

[Henchman]

If you got "gastro" let it go; flu is flu; I let the Dr. diagnose and prescribe.

[Dianna]

I was sick with something last week with the same symptoms.

This illness seems to be/have been all over the place. But for all the uproar I've not heard of people dying from it. That's why I tend to think it's probably a natural, cyclical thing.