Per the CDC.....

[marieb73]

Link: http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/16309864.htm





MIAMI - Cruise ships are getting a tidal wave of bad publicity from norovirus -- including back-to-back outbreaks on voyages of Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship.


Drowned out amid the recent spate of outbreaks is that the nasty stomach bug is hitting hard on land these days, too. It's probably on a doorknob or handrail near you.


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta say the norovirus genus of viruses seems to be on the rise lately, though it has data only for cruise ships and food-borne outbreaks. Cruise ships are required to log gastrointestinal incidents, and the CDC gets involved when outbreaks strike at least 2 percent of the passengers or crew.


"Informal reports suggest there has been an increase in norovirus outbreaks around the country," said Dr. Marc-Alain Widdowson, a CDC medical epidemiologist. "It's not a cruise-ship virus. Cruise ships are just sentinels of what's happening on land."





************************************************** ********** *****





Yay.

[chicajojobe]

Oh lovely, a little Christmas fear mongering.[img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img] Yay media!

I like how in the their information they say that people may feel sick for up to two days, which everyone here will take to mean that you'll be v*ing non-stop for 48 hours. I mean I know we've heard that isn't the case but.....well you know emet.

It also would be nice if they'd give some explanation about why it's suddenly increasing so much and when we might expect it to ease up. After all this outbreak can't last forever, right?

I also don't see how this is "news." Do most people consider noroviruses just a cruise ship thing or is it only emets who widely know otherwise?

[marieb73]

Oh lovely, a little Christmas fear mongering.[img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img] Yay media!

I like how in the their information they say that people may feel sick for up to two days, which everyone here will take to mean that you'll be v*ing non-stop for 48 hours. I mean I know we've heard that isn't the case but.....well you know emet.

It also would be nice if they'd give some explanation about why it's suddenly increasing so much and when we might expect it to ease up. After all this outbreak can't last forever, right?

I also don't see how this is "news." Do most people consider noroviruses just a cruise ship thing or is it only emets who widely know otherwise?

I think it's on the rise because people are getting lax about handwashing because of all the anti-bacteria wipes/hand gels etc. Plus people just don't stay home anymore when they are sick. For a variety of reasons, echduling, lack of sick days, stupidity, more and more people go to work sick or send their kids to school sick or just go out sick in public period. I cannot believe how many people i have met that have bronchitis or borderline real influenza and are out in public.

[snakemed]

According to the media, we will al get Bird Flu anyway and die. Not as bad as v* mind you!


Hopefully too the apparent "rise" in cases is down to more tests being done/better monitoring of illness - might not be higher incidence.


Hopefully[img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]

[rubysoho120]

According to the media, we will al get Bird Flu anyway and die. Not as bad as v* mind you!


Hopefully too the apparent "rise" in cases is down to more tests
being done/better monitoring of illness - might not be higher incidence.


Hopefully[img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]

Part of bird flu is v*

[calibmom24]

I just read an article on the cdc website that said the reason we see more of it now is because for one people eat out so much more than they used to and people travel alot more than they used to on cruise ships and airplanes.

[centipede]

I work in the travel industry,have sailed on over 20 cruises, and never got norovirus or have witnessed outbreaks of norovirus on a cruise.


It's more likely you will get this virus at home than on a cruise ship. As was stated above, cruise ships must report an outbreak of this virus if at least 2% of the passengers are affected.However, there is NO law requiring schools, hospitals, hotels, day care centers or any otherpublic or private facility to report outbreaks. Which means, you only hear about it happening on cruise ships when in one year, small cities have had 200% more cases than all of the cruise ships put together.


There are roughly40-50 cruise ships that depart from US ports weekly and less than one percent of them have outbreaks of norovirus.


Whentheseoutbreaksdo happen,the news media goes hog wildwith it but they never report thedozens of other ships (carrying thousands of passengers) that left the same week or same day without one case of a stomach virus. In addition, most of the cruise lines now have anti-bacterial lotionsat entrances toall restaurantsandlounges where food is served.


If you are considering taking a cruise vacation keep one thing in mind, you have a better chance of getting the virus in your hometown than on a cruise.Edited by: centipede

[chicajojobe]

you have a better chance of getting the virus in your hometown than on a cruise.

Yeeeeaaaah, I understand you're just trying to do your job, but that probably wasn't the best thing to say in response to this.

Afterall, curise vacations happen very rarely, but we live and eat in our hometowns 24/7 so you probably just scared everyone even more.
Edited by: chicajojobe

[christianne]

Yeeeeaaaah, I understand you're just trying to do your job, but that probably wasn't the best thing to say in response to this.Afterall, curise vacations happen very rarely, but we live and eat in our hometowns 24/7 so you probably just scared everyone even more.

In centipede's defense, I really don't think she meant to scare anyone with her post, I think she was more likely trying to put things into perspective for everyone. And she's right. Truth is, we ARE safer on cruise ships than on land in regards to norovirus--on any website it says the chances of infection are 1% on a cruise compared to about 3% on land. Those really aren't horrific numbers either way if you think about it.

Personally, I think norovirus has been completely blown out of proportion in the media, just like they did with SARS and avian flu. They make it seem as if you'll be v*ing nonstop for days on end, when in reality it lasts only a day or so. I know, it's a lifetime for emets! [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img] My stepmother caught it on a cruise to Greece, and she v*ed once, had d* for a day or so, and was completely fine after that. Also, out of the 25 or so cruises she has taken in her life, she was only ill on that one.

As far as norovirus in restaurants and so forth--yes, it seems to be happening alot lately. But if you really think about it, in the millions of restaurants and fast food places all across the world norovirus has only surfaced in a TINY fraction of that number. And it's usually caused by ill employees showing for work, so I'm sure management is going to be cracking down on that from now on rather than lose business due to outbreaks.

Again, I don't think centipede meant to frighten anyone, I just think she was trying to be honest and show another side to all the norovirus hype. And I completely agree. There are always all types of viruses out there, but as long as we follow good hygiene and handwashing and cleaning we should all manage perfectly fine.Edited by: christianne

[crimgoddess]

^ total word to what CHristianne said above!


That, and Snakemed....aren't we all supposed to have died from Sars already? Or maybe mad cow [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]. Ahhh.....the media......


*amber*

[SimplyMe]

This is why I don't watch the news. They sensationalize EVERYTHING! We focus on the health/noro things more but really EVERYTHING get's blown up and out on there. Hell hurricane season here they are CONSTANTLY going off abotu how this will be the big one. Don't get me wrong it's serious and dangerous but geez there will be heavy rain one day and suddenly it's the big one! I hate the news and media. But I guess that's how you get ratings. Uh and weren't we all supposed to have anthrax by now too? Good grief. If people would just stay home when they are sick and not go to work at a RESTAURANT or coughing on everyone and wash their freaking hands ... ah only in an emet free world.

[katsamsmom3]

i have always wondered if it had something to do with the water source on these ships. Do they store water or do they purify it from the ocean?

[snakemed]

Crimgoddess - you are always the sensible voice of reason, thankyou. I know when I am panicking, my fears disagree with you, yet I know you always speak the truth lol!


You are very good at reasoning things out, as much as our phobia is unreasonable. I think you are right about the media - it pays to look back a bit and see what other scares there have been. Here in Scotland, in the summer they talk of the dangerous "heatwave" and in winter it's the "cold snap" scare stories. It has taken me years to realise these same terms are dragged out every year!


PS - I have never read that avian flu causes v*, not sure, thought it was (apparently) like flu/pnemonia then you die?


PPS - Every now and then we hear about it over here, since it came to Europe and a dead swan was foundin Scotland (about 40 miles from me) - Don't worry, I'll tell you what happens when I get itlol![img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

[chicajojobe]

Yeah avian flu can cause v*ing but so can any type of influenza. The really scary part is that it has a high mortality rate in people who catch it from infected animals, so it has the potential to be a major epidemic if the right type of a mutated virus appears which can be spread from person to person. This hasn't happened yet though, so far it's just transmitted from animal to animal, or from animal to human.

It's true, the media does sensationalize. So far this is the third year that the media has reported "a human version of avian flu could come his flu season! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!"

I remember this past summer ABC even made one of those apocalyptic disaster tv movies about avian flu. [img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img] ::sigh::

[snakemed]

Oh dear . . . Bird Flu - The Movie!


Sounds dreadful. Hmm, I don't mind dying, and I don't v* with flu, so should be fine[img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]