The Grand Canyon is reporting 118 cases of norovirus among park visitors. Park officials have stated that the cases are occurring among visitors to the Colorado River and backcountry campers. The National Park Service issued an alert about this issue on May 20, 2022.
Symptoms that campers are experiencing include nauseas, stomach camps and pain, and sudden onset vomiting and diarrhea. The virus can spread quickly, especially among people in close contact with one another, such as those in rafts and camps. Norovirus has been confirmed among those who were on at least one rafting trip.
Norovirus is extremely contagious that spreads several ways. You can get it from person-to-person contact, through contaminated food and drink, or through contact with contaminated surfaces. Most people recover on their own without medical attention, but in this case, campers have been caught without adequate water supplies, and dehydration can be an issue.
To prevent norovirus transmission not only at the Grand Canyon but on all other trips, practice proper hand washing and general cleanliness. Safety of drinking water on camping trips is very 9important. If you can’t wash your hands, use alcohol-based hand sanitizing gel or wipes.
And if you have been sick with a diarrheal illness within the last 72 hours, do not go on a group trip. If you get sick during a trip, stay away from others. Avoid sharing food and drinks and putting your hands into shared food sources. Pour or portion food into individual bowls. Do not share plates, cups, or utensils.
Make sure that the water you bring is filtered and chemically disinfected. Point of use filters will not remove norovirus from water. You can boil water at a full boil for one minute to disable the virus.
