A conference in Victoria was cut short because of a Norwalk-like virus outbreak. The virus took out around 50 students at a hotel that was hosting a national student journalist's conference. It is proposed that someone had already been affected by the virus was the index case in this localized outbreak. Students began leaving the conference hall in the middle of a speech because of symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. There was no laboratory confirmation of the virus but all the symptoms reported matched the "norwalk-like gastroenteritis symptoms". Eleven student went to the hospital to receive fluids and medication, but none were held in care for very long. The route of transmission for noroviruses is fecal, oral, or direct contact. People with norovirus illness are contagious from the moment they begin feeling sick until 3 days after recovery. People were advised to stay in their rooms to prevent transmission and keep vigilant personal hygiene. This outbreak was quite mild. These types of the outbreaks are most common during the winter seasons and in confined spaces like hotels and cruise ships. Public health officials and going to return to gain laboratory confirmation of the causative agent.
See link for original article:
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/01/15/norwalk-virus-hits-students-at-journalism-conference-in-victoria/
-Victoria Anikst
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An interesting follow-up article shows that Twitter can be an effective way to find and trace an outbreak! Also, their hashtag #nash74 also was used to disseminate information by health officials.
Also, all these students were throwing up in their nice gala clothes...ew.
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