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

International Society for Infectious Disease ^ | 19 Dec 2002

[UKCajun]

Calgary: Norovirus Victims Approach 1000 Nearly 1000 Calgarians have fallen ill to [norovirus] infection since October 2002, prompting the Calgary Health Region to issue a warning on Fri 13 Dec 2002 to those who plan on visiting friends and family in care facilities over the holidays. Since October 2002, 30 locations in the city have had staff, students, and patients affected by the gastrointestinal virus, up drastically from the same period last year, when only one outbreak affecting seven people was reported....

USA (Alaska): Outbreak of Gastroenteritis in Ketchikan - Interim Report On 9 Dec 2002, the Section of Epidemiology was informed of numerous cases of gastroenteritis in Ketchikan. Reports involved sudden onset of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea among persons affiliated with one nursing home, 2 elementary schools, and 2 day-care facilities...

200 Reported Ill On Cruise Ship Based in New Orleans More than 200 guests on the cruise ship Carnival Conquest reported symptoms of a gastrointestinal illness on a voyage that ended Sun 15 Dec 2002, Carnival Cruise Lines said. The company said it was treating the illness as [norovirus related], the same type of illness that has affected hundreds of passengers on other cruise ships in recent months. Carnival said it was working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine the cause...

Finland: Diarrhea and Vomiting Illness Affects Hospitals Across the Country A severe diarrhoea and vomiting epidemic is [affecting] both patients and staff in hospitals and nursing homes in different locations in Finland. Earlier in the autumn [viral gastroenteritis] troubled a central hospital in Lappeenranta in Southeastern Finland, and now it has reached epidemic proportions at least in Joensuu and Jyvskyl in East and Central Finland...

In these updates [1] Hospitals - Finland [2] Schools & health-care facilities - USA (Alaska) (3) City-wide outbreaks - Canada (Calgary) [4] & [5] Cruise ship - USA (New Orleans)

[UKCajun]

This Norwalk virus stuff is starting to get very suspicious and scary!

See the link for full details!

[chance33_98]

I got Norton, I'm not worried.

[UKCajun]

Funny!

[Wednesday's Child]

According to this mornings news, two hospitals here on Long Island, N.Y. have people infected with this virus. They have closed parts of the hospital in an effort to stop it from spreading.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Scuse me while I go puke! I'll read the rest of this later!

[UKCajun]

So what is the deal?

I've never seen or heard of this happening before!

[Wednesday's Child]

I'm not sure what's going on. The places in the article you posted are all very far away. Now it's here on Long Island. One of the hospitals is huge. The potential for the virus spreading is enormous. Before Sept. 11, I might have not taken too much notice of it, but now I seem to be reading so much more into it. There have been outbreaks of viruses before, but this is becoming very widespread. I'd like to think that there is a logical explanation, but my suspicious mind is in overdrive!

[UKCajun]

Yep. First cruise ships; next hospitals; now schools.

Hate to say it but I think either we are being sent a warning from that viper in Iraq, or the AQ guys are conducting a field study to test vectors, communicabilty, and response.

[dinasour]

Ping!

[DCPatriot]

Stephen King....The Stand.....coming to lives near you this winter.

[js1138]

The 1917 Flu killed more people than WWI. No reason it couldn't happen again. Not exactly a good weapon however, having a 360 degree shot pattern.

[Aleutian Longliner]

Flulike ailment spreads

ON LAND: Hundreds of Alaskans infected by Norwalk-like virus.

By Ann Potempa Anchorage Daily News

(Published: December 19, 2002)

The outbreak of gastroenteritis reported last week in Ketchikan is being reported in other Alaska cities, including Anchorage, and health officials think more outbreaks are possible as people spread the virus through their holiday travels. As of Wednesday, similar outbreaks infecting hundreds of Alaskans have cropped up at a U.S. Navy camp near Ketchikan, among members of a dance troupe in Juneau, as well as students in Craig and children attending a day care center in Anchorage, according to the state Section of Epidemiology. All of the outbreaks are probably caused by a Norwalk-like virus, which is thought to be the most common cause of gastrointestinal illness in the United States, epidemiologists said. That virus has been blamed for sickening hundreds of people traveling on cruise ships in Alaska and elsewhere this year. The symptoms -- including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fevers -- usually develop within 24-48 hours after exposure. So far, state medical authorities have confirmed only two cases of the Norwalk virus, in samples taken from children connected to the Anchorage day care center. Stool samples from Ketchikan and Juneau have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, but results are not available yet, Alaska epidemiologists said.

http://www.adn.com/front/story/2346589p-2402346c.html

[Wednesday's Child]

I hate to say it too, but I'm in agreement with you.
It can't be something "normal" like the flu or the common cold which have been around for ever. The way it's happening around the world is unnerving. And now it's in two of our hospitals. Thousands of people work there and I don't see how they can stop it from spreading. Now we wait and see where it will happen next.

[UKCajun]

Yikes.

CDC continues to be involved. That has got to say something. We are probably witnessing an opening round or shot across the bow...

[RichardW]

There is something nasty going around for sure. Three young women from Longview, Texus just up and died almost immediately from some strange bug. That is a little too close for comfort.

[UKCajun]

Did they know one another, work together, or were they unrelated cases?

[Kozak]

Uh WHERE do you suppose the sick people end up? Why in the HOSPITAL of course. So no one who works in medicine would be surprised that it's shown up in same. Norwalk is a very infectious virus, and the fact we have a little epidemic going on is not a huge deal. If this is an attempt at a bio warfare attack its a pretty crappy one....

[RightWhale]

The Norwalk Virus. This thing has a name. Good. Now we can tell people who suddenly break out into a green, trembling sweat what they have.

[Capt. Tom]

The Norwalk Virus. This thing has a name. Good. Now we can tell people who suddenly break out into a green, trembling sweat what they have.

In the Army we would just call it a case of the "shits." Now we can upgrade it to the Norwalk Virus. - Tom

[UKCajun]

Here are the latest Norwalk virus outbreaks:
[1] Nursing home (USA - Michigan)
[2] Nursing home (Canada - British Columbia)
[3] Aircraft Carrier (USS Theodore Roosevelt)
[4] Hospital (USA - New York, Long Island)
[5] Widespread infection (USA - Minnesota)
[6] Widespread infection (USA -Alaska)
[7] Nursing home (USA - New Hampshire)
[8] Hospitals (Canada - Ontario)