River guide reports more cases of illness

Friday, Aug. 2, 2002 | 9:15 a.m.

The National Park Service is investigating another nine cases of gastrointestinal illness reported on the Colorado River Thursday morning.

A river guide reported the illnesses during a commercial rafting trip camped at Hells Hollow near Whitmore Wash, park service spokeswoman Maureen Oltrogge said.

Two of the nine people, 16 and 47 years old, were transported to the Grand Canyon Clinic on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park where they were treated and released.

The remaining seven passengers who had reported symptoms planned to complete the final two days of an eight-day trip, she said.

A total of 59 people participating in five separate rafting trips on the river through Grand Canyon developed gastrointestinal illness from June 1 to 14 this year.

Passengers reported flu-like symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

The symptoms reported Thursday morning were similar, Oltrogge said.

Stool specimens taken from those affected by the illness in June indicated that a Norwalk-like virus had caused the outbreak. The viruses are common and spread easily through water, food and from person to person.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of Atlanta with the park service have been working to confirm the illness by genetic sequencing and should have results later this summer.

Initial tests in June also included an epidemiology study comparing individuals who became sick with those who remained healthy.

River and backcountry users are reminded to be careful with their sanitation practices, Oltrogge said. River water used for drinking or any from side canyons should be filtered and treated with iodine or chlorine, then allowed to sit before consumption.

An alternative method is to boil all drinking water. Frequent hand washing and careful food preparation also helps to control the spread of illness.