10 March 2014 (21:52 UTC-07 Tango 09 March 2014)/08 Jumada l-Ula 1435/19 Esfand 1392/10 Ding-Mao 4712
Australia: In Victoria State, people are being warned of rising gastroenteritis cases. The majority are being blamed on eggs contaminated with salmonella. In the past 20 years salmonella cases have increased 80% in the Land Down Under! Campylobactera is up 20%. Overall food related gastroenteritis cases up 75% from 2001 to 2011! So much for advanced health care and food production systems.
Canada: In Nanaimo, British Columbia, reports that one hospital and at least six old folks homes hit with norovirus. In Burlington, Ontario, a retirement home hit with norovirus. Six people died, but officials don’t think norovirus was the direct cause: “The deaths were reported. We don’t have the cause of death. They all had underlying illnesses.”-Dimitra Kasimos, Halton Region Health Department
European Union: A study confirms what I reported more than a year ago; frozen strawberries contained norovirus! Those strawberries came from China and hit Germany hard in the gut. Read the Eurosurveillance report here. In United Kingdom, P&O’s Oriana cruise ship is reported to have suffered a norovirus outbreak. At least 57 passengers sick. Wards at three hospitals in Gloucestershire have been closed to visitors. These are the second outbreaks in the past month for two of those hospitals. In Spain, health officials are calling for mass vaccinations against some of the causes of gastroenteritis. This comes as Finnish scientist warn of rotavirus outbreaks. There is no vaccine for norovirus.
Guyana: The people of Barima-Waini continue to deal with outbreaks of gastroenteritis. It’s being blamed on the E coli bacteria.
Pakistan: Army health workers have reached the village of Mithi in Tharparkar District. A long drought is being blamed on cases of gastroenteritis in the children. Unfortunately 137 people have died in Tharparkar District, mostly children.
Florida U.S.A.: The Department of Health Lee County reporting a nursing home hit by norovirus. 59 cases, the first for the county this year.
Georgia U.S.A.: 110 students sick at Cartersville High School. Cartersville Elementary School also seeing increased student absences.
Massachusetts U.S.A.: Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital officials reveal they’ve been dealing with a gastrointestinal outbreak for the past six days! At least 22 patients and three employees sick.
Minnesota U.S.A.: 130 kids sick over a three day period at Glyndon-Felton Elementary. Other schools in the district reported absences as well.
Missouri U.S.A.: Half the Saint Charles Chill hockey team out sick, after eating at a charity event.
Nebraska U.S.A.: The Department of Health and Human Services reports widespread cases of tummy bug. Health officials are suggesting people go on the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast).
New Jersey U.S.A.: Princeton University reports an outbreak of gastroenteritis. So far 65 students sick.
New York U.S.A.: A state supreme court judge, Thomas A. Dickerson, has written a long critic of hotels, cruise ships and other locations that see increased infections. He concludes that the customers/passengers can not be blamed for the outbreaks, but cleaning standards by service industries are too lax. He cites many reports.
North Carolina U.S.A.: 143 students at Isaac Dickson Elementary School out sick, for at least two days! Other schools in the district are on alert. Mecklenburg County reports that at least six long term care facilities have been hit with outbreaks.
Ohio U.S.A.: The Hamilton County Public Health Department reports at least 62 people sick at a long term care facility. Two people hospitalized.
Oregon U.S.A.: 125 veterans and 25 VA employees sick at the White City Veterans Affairs rehab center. Police were called in to warn people as they entered the facility.
Texas U.S.A.: The Austin-Travis County Health and Human Services Department reports at least 12 outbreaks at long term care facilities. The Bell County Health District reports increased ER visits due to norovirus, and at least three outbreaks at long term facilities.
Albert Z. Kapikian, the National Institutes of Health virologist who discovered norovirus in 1972, died on 24 February 2014.