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SAN CARLOS DE BARILOCHE.– A norovirus outbreak affected 180 students who visited this city on their graduation trip set off alarm bells. Fortunately, the infections were quickly stopped and none of the teenagers had to be hospitalized.
“Norovirus usually occurs in places where a large number of people live or pass through. It usually presents with very mild symptoms, with some vomiting, and within 12 or 24 hours, the symptoms subside. The number of people who require treatment is very low. The general population often gets sick and does not notice it, because they get better quickly,” he told LA NACION Rodrigo Bustamante, veterinarian in the Epidemiology Department of the Zonal Hospital of Bariloche.
He added that in closed places such as graduate hotels, where there are a large number of people, once the virus enters and some child has symptoms, “it is quite contagious”.
According to Bustamante, the incubation period – from when someone becomes infected until they show symptoms – is short, just 2 or 3 days. That is why these symptoms appear in people affected so quickly and together. In general, the symptoms of norovirus infection – nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or cramps, diarrhea, general malaise, low-grade fever and/or muscle pain – do not last more than 2 days.
Norovirus is also very resistant in the environment, which makes it difficult to eliminate: it requires deep cleaning of surfaces, with adequate concentrations of disinfectants. The virus is transmitted by contact, by touching contaminated surfaces and not washing hands.
“That is why it occurs in places where many people circulate. In fact, It is also known as cruise ship disease.. It affects closed populations that always circulate in the same places. If any surface is contaminated, they become infected in a staggered manner,” added the specialist.
Norovirus is not a new disease. In this city, there have already been other cases in previous years, much more serious, such as in 2019, when another outbreak affected about 1,300 graduates.
“In tourist destinations with a high concentration of people, it is normal for this type of outbreak to occur occasionally. Luckily, in Bariloche we are quite prepared from the health department and from the hotels, which know well how to handle it. In this case, it was stopped quite quickly: it could have spread to other hotels and it didn’t happen because action was taken quickly,” said Bustamante.
This virus is transmitted through vomit or fecal matter from a sick person. These substances contaminate surfaces such as toilets, door handles, faucets, carpets, armchairs, etc. If another person touches these contaminated surfaces and puts their hand in their mouth, they become infected. In this sense, hygiene and hand washing are essential. Situations such as several teenagers in the same room sharing a bathroom favor transmission.
In the recent outbreak in Bariloche, the first signs appeared on July 16, when the municipality received a complaint about cases of gastroenteritis in a hotel that housed graduates. Immediately, Epidemiology personnel went to the place to take Vomit and stool samples of those affected.
The first ones were then sent to the Malbrán Institute in Buenos Aires: The virological analysis was positive for norovirus.Meanwhile, the stool samples were processed in the Bacteriology laboratory of the local Zonal Hospital and tested negative for pathogenic bacteria.
Gastón Burlón, president of the Chamber of Student Tourism (CATE)stated: “It is important to highlight that CATE member companies comply with strict protocols for each contingency. In this case, samples were taken and the result was norovirus. It is a virus that is everywhere, not just in Bariloche. It also occurs in adults and lasts a little more than 24 hours. The truth is that everything possible is done to avoid contagion. Companies are constantly monitoring the children, doctors visit the hotels every day, they are taken care of.”
Finally, the local Zonal Hospital warned that the norovirus outbreak occurred during the second half of July and has already been contained. Currently, there are no cases in this city.reported the Epidemiology Department.
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