Flu sickens hundreds on USS Roosevelt

CNN ^ | Dec 19, 2002

[KantianBurke]

Ok this is getting eerie.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I think I know the suspect(s).

(Hint): "Hamburger, hamburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheesburger, hamburger, hamburger...hurry up the line, cheesburger....."

[TomGuy]

From the NYPost.com, Page Six regarding the cruiseline illnesses (which probably has no relation to this story):

Bon voyage

CALL it the Cruise Ship Coverup. The dirty secret behind the outbreak of stomach illness on 21 cruises this year is that the cause is other cruise ships in the narrow Caribbean shipping lanes. The big ships routinely dump raw sewage into the ocean. Ships following behind then draw in the polluted sea water for their desalinization plants, which take out the salt, but not all the bacteria. Passengers are soon suffering from diarrhea and vomiting - even if they are careful and drink only bottled water - because they are showering in sewage and brushing their teeth with it. "But no one wants the public to know because it's just too disgusting," one nautical expert told us.

[fogarty]

Actually its not as eerie as you think. Flu epidemics happen in military environments - the close quarters, sharing of breathing spaces, etc. In fact the infuenza pandemic which killed some 20+ million in 1917-1918 hit the troops in WWI first.

It only remains a matter of time before the influenza virus once again gains the virulence and resistance mechanisms that the 1918 virus did.

[Centurion2000]

bump

[Maringa]

If a water treatment system is capable of removing salts, it much more able to remove bacteria and viruses. The problem occurs in holding tanks or distribution lines (cross connection). Unless there is mechanical or sabotage problems with the water system (22 ships???), it is unlikely that it is coming from the water. I would say it is coming from food handling or airborne means.

I may be making a generalization here, but the crew make-up of many of these ships come from Indonesia, and Philipinnes. It would be easy to slip in a few terrorist in the crew....

[NautiNurse]

I want to know whether the troops routinely receive the annual flu vaccine. If they did receive it this year, this story is more ominous. Otherwise, it is just the normal course of events.

[mewzilla]

About the supposed GI flu, according to my doc there is no such thing. A GI bug is a GI bug and flu is a respiratory illness. So there are two bugs going around?

[KineticKitty]

Your right, sometimes it's a joy to live on post. But to be honest the whole state is getting pummled right now.

Pssst, the link is a flash presentation of the current U.S. flu map.

[Nita Nuprez]

That is disgusting! Ugggh!

[KellyAdmirer]

Carnival this morning reported an unusually high number of cancellations for next quarter cruises. Probably due to the illness publicity. I know that I am a lot less likely to ever take a cruise after learning about this kind of thing.

[NautiNurse]

I haven't heard of a strain of flu called the GI flu. The term is more likely the result of transmission due to close quarters and living conditions. It could be any one of a number of strains or their variants--which mutate at least annually. Some of the more famous flu strains include Asian, Swine, Hong Kong, Spanish, etc.

The past few flu seasons have produced very mild forms of the viral illnesses. It is believed that "killer flu" cycles occur roughly every 30 years. We are long overdue for a killer flu season. Past killer flus occurred in 1918, 1957 and 1968.

[kevin]

"This is getting eerie.."

You better believe it, at this rate, with all the San Diego Marines on "stand Down" with regard to training....we could get ourselves knocked out before a shot is fired....hmmmm...

Check out this post from a few days ago...

What about theses illnesses?

[lelio]

The big ships routinely dump raw sewage into the ocean
Then why all of the sudden these outbreaks? Perhaps the amount of sewage in the ocean has finally reached a tipping point that it is causing these illnesses.

[B-bone]

GI flu is a shorthand term for a gastrointestional virus. It is not an accurate term, but it has crept into common usage. It is not the influenza virus for which you receive a flu shot.

The Norwalk virus (the agent associated with the cruise ship outbreaks) is one common type. It can occur almost anywhere but large outbreaks usually occur where many are living in close quarters i.e. cruise ships, military ships and bases, college campuses, day care centers, etc.

[mewzilla]

According to my doc, and assuming I understood what she was trying to explain, what's commonly called GI flu is really some form of gastroenteritis. And it's usually spread by poor hygiene, such as not handwashing properly. Handwashing helps with the flu, too, but if someone coughs in your face, for example, there's not a whole lot you can do. Since I've had both, I can vouch for flu shots and careful handwashing.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" A GI bug is a GI bug and flu is a respiratory illness. So there are two bugs going around?"

The cruise ships have been calling their outbreak,the flu,probably because it sounds more benign-but,the passengers have had food poisoning,plain and simple.When the cruise ship sicknesses were at their height, I found this quote from
Dave Forney,chief of the vessel sanitation program at the CDC-" A small number of sicknesses is routine,but,not nearly at this level." Which sounds just like this-"The spreading of viruses aboard ships is common because of the close quarters the sailors keep, though it is not known why this outbreak was so widespread, a Navy official said. "

My theory regarding this outbreak of food poisoning on ships-it's bioterrorism.How hard would it be for a group of terrorists to find work in a giant food conglomerate, one that supplies food to the cruise industry,the Navy,etc?? They could sprinkle their germs into food as it's being packaged for delivery to the ships-a little here, a little there. Once it's in the population,it can then be spread by poor hand washing by someone who is sick-using contaminated hands to cut pizza and pass slices is a great way to spread it. But, that would assume that lots of people have horrendous personal hygiene practices for that route to be the start of the outbreaks-which is the explanation from some "official sources", for the outbreaks. A doctor friend told me that he also believes it's bioterrorism. He said anyone could leave a few chickens out in the sun to marinate for a few days, so it gets good and ripe,bring the liquid to work in a vial and when no one is watching,sprinkle the lettuce or some other food. Too many people getting sick for it to be coincidence,IMHO.

[OldFriend]

My son is only out of the military since May 2000, but he tells me they get every innoculation known to man......and yes they do get flu shots too. However, there are many variations of the flu so no one is totally safe from every infection.

At this time of year the schools are reporting widespread flu outbreaks as well and are closing early for winter break.

[NautiNurse]

what's commonly called GI flu is really some form of gastroenteritis

In other words, the GI flu is a misnomer.

Of course, the annual flu shots are derived from last year's most common flu strains, and viral mutations since last year will not be susceptible to the vaccine. That's the ominous part--if a particularly virulent mutation gets to pandemic status, and the vaccine is ineffective. The terrorism fanatics will never believe this is the normal course of flu season from year to year.