Virus Epidemic At WDW!!!

[Eljay]

I don't know if any of you planning trips to WDW in the near future have read the reports on the US DIS boards, but there is a terrible flu bug and stomach virus going around in Orlando!
Please be sure to bring hand sanitizer gel or anti-bacterial wipes with you into the parks. Keep your hands away from your face and avoid touching hand rails. I personally am staying away from any buffet style meals!
Stay well everyone!

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Flu and stomach bug going around everywhere, WDW AND Lancashire

 

[cleo]

Can you provide a supporting link (beyond the thread on TP&S, which also does not have much supporting information) to this 'epidemic'?

I'm not doubting there is a bug going around, but I'm curious to know if it is really an epidemic or if it's a scary thought that's being blown a bit out of proportion. It could be a serious problem, but one thread on the DIS (which has now spun off into 3 threads, this one included) isn't much information to go on.

I hate to think people are being scared off by an 'epidemic' that doesn't SEEM to have a lot of supporting evidence. Having said that, I haven't been into the parks this past week so I'm just as in-the-dark as anyone.

 

[AlanUK]

One of the 'benefits' of having a baby is that we have an abundant supply of hand sanitiser with us wherever we go at the moment, we also seem to be using it on a fairly regular basis as well

As for the sensational thread title - I like Cleo would like to see some supporting evidence besides general hearsay before I took this too seriously.

 

[Eljay]

Sorry, never intended to scare anyone away.
Just wanted to alert people to take extra precautions.

 

[Eljay]

Can you provide a supporting link (beyond the thread on TP&S, which also does not have much supporting information) to this 'epidemic'?

I'm not doubting there is a bug going around, but I'm curious to know if it is really an epidemic or if it's a scary thought that's being blown a bit out of proportion. It could be a serious problem, but one thread on the DIS (which has now spun off into 3 threads, this one included) isn't much information to go on.

I hate to think people are being scared off by an 'epidemic' that doesn't SEEM to have a lot of supporting evidence. Having said that, I haven't been into the parks this past week so I'm just as in-the-dark as anyone.

Here are the links that you asked for.
www.zicam.com
Scroll down to the lower left to enter zip code 32801

www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/USmap.htm
This is the official US government Center For Disease Control.

 

[Claire L]

Here are the links that you asked for.
www.zicam.com
Scroll down to the lower left to enter zip code 32801

www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/USmap.htm
This is the official US government Center For Disease Control.

Not sure I trust the first link as it is from a manufacturer of cold/flu remedies.

As for the second one it looks like Flu is being diagnosed across the region but in no way would that indicate an epidemic to me.

Claire

 

[petrymom]

Hi everyone -

I am currently taking microbiology and just wanted to point out that the influenza virus that the CDC website is monitoring is not an intestinal virus that would cause vomiting and diarrhea. Influenza is actually a respiratory virus.

Not that this makes it any less harmful, just different.

 

[cleo]

Stomach viruses, which are the sort of virus this thread spun off from, are not 'flu'. Influenza is usually respritory. Stomach bugs are something else entirely. (oops, sorry petrymom! We must have been posting at the same time)

We were at Animal Kingdom, Epcot and MGM yesterday and saw no evidence whatsoever of an 'epidemic'. In fact, we saw no evidence of anyone being sick (which is unusual...we usually see at least ONE person!). That isn't to say there isn't a bug going around, but the word 'epidemic' seems grossly inaccurate. It's also cold and flu season, so you could expect more illness in general, not only in Orlando but all over the world.

I know I'm a stickler for this, but I think you have to be careful when posting things that aren't necessarily accurate. The media coverage in the UK about the hurricane damage two years ago scared a lot of people away unnecessarily, to the detriment of Orlando tourism. Claiming there is an 'epidemic' at WDW is similar. If it were true, the Sentinel would have jumped on it. People are getting sick, just as they are getting sick everywhere in the US (and, I'm sure, the UK, etc). But happily, it does not seem to have reached 'epidemic' proportions!

 

[musketeer]

i don't know about this one but we were there from 6th-20th Nov this year and i did see and hear alot of people coughing and sneezing my dh now has this flu thing but the cough that goes with it just won't go away, not sure if he brought this back with him.