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Voxi

Norovirus can be a concern

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Quote Originally Posted by Lauriep View Post
Norovirus can be a concern on the Appalachian Trail or in crowded overnight facilities frequented by hikers near the A.T.

Typically norovirus occurs only when and where there is very heavy overnight hiker traffic with poor hygiene and inadequate Leave No Trace practices being employed.

Outbreaks of norovirus, or ("stomach bug" when not confirmed) have been reported on the Appalachian Trail in recent years, disproportionately occuring in the northbound thru-hiker bubble in the South. Most often hikers have gotten sick between Hot Springs and south of the Virginia border. Testing itinerant backpackers is challenging, but the year of the biggest outbreak (2014) a high percentage (or almost all, I can't remember now) of the hikers with stomach bug symptoms (both projectile vomiting and diarrhea are the signature ones) tested by the Tennessee Dept. of Health had norovirus. There was also an outbreak in northern New Hampshire/southern Maine a several years back (reportedly when the nobo and sobo bubbles were colliding). There was also an confirmed outbreak in central Virginia, long enough ago that the term "Norwalk virus" was used by the health dept. There may have been other outbreaks.

Here's the language about norovirus from the ATC website:
Norovirus, a highly contagious stomach virus, is transmitted by contact with an infected person, contaminated food or water, or contaminated surfaces, and it is easily spread on parts of the A.T. that experience crowded conditions. Norovirus causes your stomach and/or intestines to become inflamed, which leads to stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea.

The virus has a 12- to 48-hour incubation period and lasts 24 to 60 hours. Infected hikers may be contagious for three days to two weeks after recovery. Outbreaks occur more often where people share facilities for sleeping, dining, showering, and toileting; the virus can spread rapidly in crowded shelters and hostels; and sanitation is key for avoiding and spreading norovirus.

Take the following steps to prevent contracting and spreading the illness:

  • Do not eat out of the same food bag, share utensils, or drink from other hikers' water bottles.
  • Wash your hands with biodegradable soap (200 feet from water sources) before eating or preparing food and after toileting.
  • Be aware that alcohol-based sanitizer may be ineffective against norovirus.
  • Treat all water. To learn best how to treat your water, click here for information from the CDC.
  • Follow Leave No Trace guidelines for disposing of human waste.
  • For important prevention tips and information about how to report norovirus on the Appalachian Trail, click here.
  • For more information, click here.

The CDC advises that a combination of filtration and chemical treatment is the most effect method of treating water in the backcountry (other than boiling). Here's a page with good information: A Guide to Drinking Water Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry & Travel Use. (Highlighting this link again here, in case you missed it above).

Or you can go straight to the Backcountry Water Treatment Chart that rates effectiveness of different methods.

Laurie P.
ATC
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