Swimmers Should Watch Out For The Norovirus

An outbreak of gastrointestinal illnesses have been traced to Oregon lake, which has set a list of swimming and health guidelines in motion, according to health officials. Those who swam in the lake were 2.3 times more likely to become ill than those who visited the park, according to findings from the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Since July, the lake near Portland has allegedly sickened 70 people from the norovirus-commonly known as the "cruise ship bug" because of shipboard outbreaks, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, over half of those sickened in the Oregon outbreak were children between the ages of 4 and 10, who may be more susceptible to the health problem.

Health officials note that this highly contagious virus resulting in inflammation of the stomach and intestines with diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain, is particularly dangerous among the elderly and younger children.

Researchers believe that a swimmer who was infected with the norovirus may have vomited or had diarrhea in the water, and other swimmers swallowed the contaminated fluid.

"Children are prime targets for norovirus and other germs that can live in lakes and swimming pools because they're so much more likely to get the water in their mouths," Michael Beach, associate director for healthy water at the CDC, said in an agency news release. "Keeping germs out of the water in the first place is key to keeping everyone healthy, and helping to keep the places we swim open all summer."