Norwalk closes schools in New Hampshire

[AnnMorin]

I bet infected people are the ones bringing the virus on the ships that the ships themself are clean and virus free until new people come aboard. I feel bad for Disney(and other lines) because as long as ill people keep getting on board or walking around in the general population the outbreaks will continue.

Apparently this has been a VERY bad year for the Norwalk virus. it was rampent in Boston and has now spread over the boarder to New Hampshire. Literally hundreds (many more than on the cruise ships) of students are sick forcing schools to close down to try to get a handle on the epidemic.

For the article in today's Boston Globe click
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/037/northwest/Flu_like_illnessshutters_school+.shtml

 

[tezb]

Actually, the article sounds like the outbreak is now due to Influenza ..upper respiratory flu..the Norwalk passed thru in Dec-Jan. I would much rather have the upper resp. if I had a choice. It's just that the Influenza can last longer so you are out sick from work or school longer too.

 

[AnnMorin]

DH had pointed the article out to me and I scanned it fast and saw Norwalk and linked it. Then after I read it and tried to delete the post it would not let me...

Don't Pay Attention To The Woman Typing ... she does not know what she is speaking about


sorry...feeling like a goof (yet again ) ann

 

[tezb]

Ann,...don't be so hard on yourself...not a big deal...Been there, done that...recently.

Anyway, I was actually relieved to see it wasn't Norwalk...That means maybe it's shifting to the regular cold/flu which I would rather deal with....

 

[hilltopfamily]

anyone else see the cruise critic on-line article about Princess Sun canceling it's Hawaii cruise mid-cruise and flying all its passengers home from Honolulu? Ship was then to sail home to Los Angeles "empty". I think it stated something like 13% of passengers affected with SUSPECTED "norowalk" -- a form of Norwalk-type virus. WOW! We are awaiting our first cruise this summer--has me somewhat worried.
penny

 

[ducklite]

I had Norwalk in October, thought I was dying for about 40 hours and then as suddenly as it came on it was gone. I had influenza in December of 1999. It was horrid, I was deathly ill for over a week, to the point that hospitalization was a good possibility.

I'll take Norwalk over Influenza any day.

Norwalk came, batterd, and left. Influenza came, battered, lingered and took several weeks to regain my strength from.

Anne

 

[tezb]

I'm w/ you Hilltop....our cruise is in July and now I'm starting to wonder if the stomach illnesses will still be around...don't want to put myself in that situation if I don't have to.....

Would rather have Influenza only because I do not like the stomach thing, vomiting, nausea, etc. At least w/ the Influenza, you don't need to be near a bathroom! Just my personal opinion...

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by tezb
Would rather have Influenza only because I do not like the stomach thing, vomiting, nausea, etc. At least w/ the Influenza, you don't need to be near a bathroom! Just my personal opinion...

Actually when I had Influenza I had on and off vomiting as well... It had something to do with my equalibrium being off because my electrolytes were out of whack due to the dehydration.

Anne

 

[Susan Prescott]

Hi, I work at one of the schools here in New Hampshire. We have seen more kids out sick this winter than ever. For the past two weeks, 20% of our students have been sick, some with flu-like symptoms and others with strept throat. Hopefully, this will dissipate once spring arrives.

 

[Gillian]

Flu is nasty! Norwalk doesn't sound like a picnic either, but I had some kind of influenza several years ago and it was just awful. I was easily out for a week. I wouldn't count on getting that and having fun on the ship. It's nothing like a cold. And I needed a bucket

Thanks for the heads up Ann! I'll be sure to stay away from New Hampshire!

 

[cathie]

The sickness, virus & flu thing is all due to the fact that everyone up here is stuck indoors because it's either too freezing cold or we're having another snowstorm. Thank God my household has stayed sick-free this winter ( Keep drinking your OJ, H2O & workout every AM with Denise Austin!) We leave in 2 weeks...can't wait to leave this cold, sick state behind!

 

[joyful1nh]

Yes, it's bad in NH. We just got back from the 3 night Wonder -- thankfully we were all healthy the entire cruise and the week after at WDW. Did talk to one Mom who's daughter was confined to cabin with stomach flu. DCL treated her well, brought all kinds of free gifts (toys & games) plus comp'd all beverages on the cruise. And we ran into several people at the WL with the same symptoms.


Home two days and DD comes down with what I believe is an influenza - cold symptoms + aches +fever. Then DH gets it. I have had the cough & cold thing all week, just no fever -- so much for that flu shot I got last fall! And in my workplace all you hear is coughing & sniffling.

Three schools in Manchester announced as closed today and tomorrow to try to shake this thing.

 

[tezb]

Guess that's why the flu outbreak seems to be worse on the EAst Coast. We are on the West Coast and the weather is not as extreme in the winter. No influenza outbreaks ....yet (knock on wood). Our weather has been nice lately, like Spring so I can feel for all you who are freezing in the low number/s. One of the reasons the flu spreads more in the winter is because people are together more...holidays and just plain stuck indoors.

Flu symptoms vary from person to person...depends on your immune system, diet, etc. Also flu shots do not protect from every virus...they just never know which strains to use since they don't know which type of influenza will hit...and sometimes it doesn't hit like the healthcare industry thought. I work in a hospital and have never gotten the flu shot...seems that everyone I worked with that got it, got sick anyway.

 

[cathie]

Hi Joyful1Nh How was the weather on your cruise? We just can't wait to actually feel some sunshine. We head out as soon as the kids get out of school on Feb. 21. We're driving to WDW for 5 days then onto the Wonder. It's our 1st cruise (5 adults & 3 kids) Can't wait!!

 

[Hopelessly Hooked]

We went on the 7-day in January and I was very appreciative of the efforts DCL made to control contagious illnesses. They had servers assisting at the buffet lines and drink stations and handed out hand wipes to diners. They had all the children wash their hands when they went to the kids club. Although we are all worried about a Norwalk type virus I was mostly concerned about the flu. I remember a family get-together 3 years ago in So Cal (including several days in D-land). My 5year-old nephew showed up with the flu. Of course everyone got it. At least it hit me and DW as we were returning home. She had a fever of 102 for over a week and she almost never get sick

Because of DCL’s efforts I believe they were fewer sick kids in the kids club and there were a lot of kids on this cruise. Nobody in the family came down with a cold on the cruise, which is unusual with all those school age kids, including mine, running around.

Speaking of illnesses DS7 came down with a strep infection after Thanksgiving and antibiotics didn’t cure it. It came back suddenly and he ended up in the hospital for 2 days. It took him almost a month to get his strength back and regain the weight he lost. We thought we would have to cancel our cruise but he finally bounced back.

Anyway, DCL did a great job trying to control illnesses on the ship.

 

[lsmac]

They are closing schools here due to influenza break outs as well. And we have had pretty good weather up until about three days ago. Ya think it could be because we had 70 degrees one day and 32 the next?

Ann, don't fret about reading the article wrong, we all still appreciate the heads up! BTW, got the rest of my pics back from 12/7 and guess who was standing with me on formal night by the elevators (one clue it was not Mickey)?

Lisa

 

[vicnmickey]

Being a nurse working with the elderly, I see it every year. Northern IL. is getting hit really hard also right now. Both my kids have had it, but I got the flu shot so I haven't come down with it yet.
Also, all you late spring and summer cruisers. The flu and the norwalk should be cleared up by then. The change in seasons, starts to kill off all the winter bugs. I hope this is true this year, because we leave in 79 days!!!!!

Lets all pray for germ free days ahead

 

[tezb]

vicnmickey...thanks for the positive thoughts for us late spring & summer cruisers...

 

[AnnMorin]

Sometimes I feel like a dope

Who took the picture? I am assuming it was us two?
Any luck with Doug/Ryan for the 2003 Birthday cruise?
I am still holding out hope

 

[mcnuss]

I am in NH too and got a note from the nurse yesterday in DD's backpack. Our school, which has about 900 kids, had about 80 kids absent every day this week and they sent home another 30-40. The symptons vary from Norwalk-like, stomach stuff, to traditional flu. No matter how you slice it, it's YUCKY!

But here's the thing that gets me: ok, you'll see an article or 2 about this in the local papers. But where's CNN? Where's the CDC? Where is the media frenzy? On my cruise, 185 out of 3000 people were ill, and the media were camped out in front of the terminal like it was a national emergency. Drives me nuts.

Just a random thought for a snowy Friday.