Even in the vast wilderness, norovirus, a notorious stomach bug that affected many hikers on the popular Pacific Crest Trail last year, continues to pose a threat. Thankfully, the CDC has finally uncovered the source of the outbreak. According to NPR, a remote log cabin frequently used by backpackers as a rest stop was responsible for spreading the illness. Leading the investigation was CDC disease detective Arran Hamlet, who was alerted to the situation by a volunteer at the Washington Alpine Club Lodge after receiving reports of sick hikers. “We reached out to the volunteer for more information, and they informed us about other sick hikers in the past month,” Hamlet revealed in an interview with Fox News. “This prompted us to search social media platforms like Facebook and Reddit.”
A staggering number of hikers who were surveyed fell ill within a 73-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington. This valuable information allowed Hamlet to narrow down potential locations, ultimately leading him to the log cabin situated south of the lodge. This cabin, which had a pit latrine and a nearby creek for drinking water, became the primary focus of Hamlet and his team. After hiking to the cabin, they collected surface swabs as well as samples from the stream. While the water samples turned out to be clean, the cabin told a different story. “Each and every swab we tested came back positive for fecal contamination,” Hamlet revealed. The findings have been published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Shanna Miko, a nurse epidemiologist at the CDC, highlighted the fact that while isolated locations like this cabin are remote, they serve as meeting points for hikers and can attract thousands of individuals each season. “These trips are meticulously planned, and for many people, they are once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” she explained to NPR. Since hikers often share recommendations about rest stops and other locations online and in travel guides, vital information about the spread of viruses can also be passed along. Due to the incredibly small size and “extra sticky” nature of norovirus, hand sanitizers and certain water filters offer little protection. Miko strongly recommends washing hands thoroughly with soap and water, and boiling drinking water for at least three minutes to combat the virus. (Norovirus made headlines again this summer with an outbreak on a cruise ship.)
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