Positive norovirus cases have been confirmed following a wave of gastrointestinal illnesses among visitors to Havasupai Falls, located at the base of the Grand Canyon in Coconino County, Arizona, with hundreds of people falling ill simultaneously.
What is norovirus?
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis, an inflammation of the stomach and intestines. It leads to symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Sometimes referred to as the “stomach flu,” norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne illness outbreaks.
Norovirus transmission:
- Contaminated food or water: Eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus.
- Person-to-person contact: Having direct contact with an infected person, such as caring for someone who is sick or sharing food or utensils with them.
- Surface contamination: Touching surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus and then putting your hand in your mouth or eating without washing hands.
Norovirus can spread quickly. It is resistant to many common disinfectants, making it particularly challenging to control. Effective handwashing, thorough cleaning of contaminated surfaces, and proper food handling are essential measures to prevent its spread.
Norovirus at the Grand Canyon
The Phoenix Area Indian Health Service (PAIHS) swiftly investigated the outbreak after learning about the concurrent cases.
“In light of the positive Norovirus results, PAIHS is intensifying efforts to promote effective handwashing,” stated PAIHS Public Information Officer Brittany Gonzalez. “In collaboration with the Havasupai Office of Tourism and Park Rangers, we are distributing information at the park’s entry points, hilltop, and trailheads.”
The park is also implementing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent norovirus. These guidelines include practicing good hygiene, cleaning up after yourself, and avoiding close contact if you feel sick.
Many of the ill visitors had to be helicoptered out of the park.
Witnesses reported that an estimated 400 people were camping when visitors began experiencing simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea, creating a significant challenge in maintaining sanitary conditions in close quarters.
A similar incident occurred in 2022, when the National Park Service reported that more than 100 people suffered from a stomach bug while visiting the Grand Canyon.
Read our original story about this incident here.
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Why are we still teaching adults how to wash their hands?
Obviously they’re not learning their lessons..
Cleaning grease from under your fingernails before church on Sunday is one thing, but not washing your hands throughout the day is nuts. I guess not many people played frisbee with cow pies.
At least not enough of them anyways. I learned to fly the pies on my grandmother’s family dairyfarm back in Maine when I was a whole lot younger! Mom taught us all how to wash our hands..😁
I don’t care how young or how old you were, as men gathered at the table, Mom would ask, every time: “Have you washed your hands?” EVERY TIME.
Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 Well, this confirms what many commenters speculated when this was first reported here. Me? I had no idea. I do wash my hands more (and better?) than when I was a teen and a twenty-something. I guess I am all the more thankful that our RV has indoor plumbing, now that I have read this. 🙂 Thanks again, have a great weekend, and safe travels! 🙂
Just goes to show that the cruise industry is not the only entity affected by this. Same virus. Probably spread through contaminated water for that many people at once.
Noroviris. The name was assigned from a major outbreak in Norwalk, OH, 1968. As of 2020, there were 29 known strains. I do declare I got all 29 strains, every flu virus, and 10 bouts of pneumonia when living 18 years in north central Ohio. I’ve not had a single stomach bug or pneumonia since moving away from there over 20 years ago. I think of north central Ohio (near Norwalk & Cleveland, OH) as the Sodom & Gomorrah of disease central and avoid it like the plague.
I keep a purse and car glove box filled with individual hand wipes. I take them into every restaurant, store anyplace I have to open a door. I use them constantly. I put them on the table for my husband to use before we eat, especially if the food requires touching it. You can get a box of 20 at CVS.
Wow you would think the pandemic would have taught people to carry hand sanitizer and to use it!