Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos - Norovirus confirmed - investigation ongoing

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Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

By Hayden Boyce, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Several resorts in the tourism belt of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands have been hit by a mysterious illness, characterized by diarrhea and vomiting, that has sickened scores of visitors to this high-end tourist destination located 500 miles from Miami.

The outbreak, which was first reported about a week ago, may have contributed to the death of an elderly tourist who was found lifeless in his hotel room. Autopsy results have not yet confirmed the official cause of death. Officials from Government, tourism, hotel and health sectors have gone into a state of high alert, embarking on massive public awareness and public relations campaigns to ensure tourists and visitors alike that the Turks and Caicos Islands is still a safe destination, despite an ?increase in diarrhoea and vomiting in some resorts on Providenciales?.

?The (Tourist and Caicos Islands) Tourist Board would like to reassure travelers that the TCI remains a safe place to visit,? said a release from Neil Smith, spokesman from the office of British Governor Ric Todd. Smith added that public health professionals are working with hoteliers to gather data on the number of cases and to determine if there is any common cause.

?Samples have already been sent to a laboratory for investigation in the US and results are currently awaited.

...Posted May 23 2012

Full text:

http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=2572

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

<TABLE class=contentpaneopen><TBODY><TR><TD class=contentheading width="100%">Officials investigate outbreak of diarrhea, vomiting </TD><TD class=buttonheading width="100%" align=right></TD><TD class=buttonheading width="100%" align=right></TD><TD class=buttonheading width="100%" align=right></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=contentpaneopen><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Written by Richard Green/richard@fptci.com </TD></TR><TR><TD class=createdate vAlign=top>...</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>
UPDATED 5-26-12: The Turks and Caicos Islands Health Surveillance team is investigating a recent outbreak of diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting on Providenciales among more than 100 people who stayed in or dined at local resorts over the last several weeks.

On May 26, the Ministry of Health and Education (MOHE) and Environmental Health Department (EHD) confirmed that tests results for one individual confirmed the presence of Norovirus, a highly contagious viral illness which is common in outbreaks of gastroenteritis (diarrhea and vomiting) throughout the world. It can be transmitted from person to person, through contact with vomitus or feces of infected individuals, consumption of contaminated food or water, contact with soiled surfaces and bed linens etc. Other than supportive therapy, norovirus usually requires little by way of medical interventions and usually resolves without incident.
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"The MOHE and EHD would like to emphasize that at this time norovirus cannot be confirmed as the cause of the current outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting based on this one positive result," the statement said.

"Investigations of the Public Health Team are ongoing, in collaboration with the Caribbean Epidemiology Center and Pan American Health Organization, the global experts in outbreak investigation."

One foursome staying on Providenciales in a private villa told the fp that they were stricken with the illness ? which hospital officials told them was some kind of virus ? after eating at a restaurant in a hotel on Grace Bay. One woman became so ill she had to be hospitalized and receive intravenous fluids to overcome the symptoms.
Grace Bay Club announced May 24 that it has stopped accepting reservations until June 1 to sanitize the resort.


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>More...

http://www.fptci.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3606:officials-investigate-outbreak-of-diarrhea-vomiting&catid=27:community&Itemid=71

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

More than 150 treated for gastro in TCI

More than 150 persons have been affected with gastroenteritis and sought medical attention in the Turks and Caicos Islands since the end of April 2012, according to health officials investigating the mysterious sickness that has affected about 12 hotels on the island of Providenciales.

The officials also reported they recently have discovered one case of norovirus, but they noted that this virus cannot be confirmed as the cause of the current outbreak of diarrhea and vomiting.

A government press release gave no details whatsoever about whether the more than 150 gastroenteritis cases were tourists, hotel workers or ordinary residents, neither did health officials shed any light on who was affected by the single case of norovirus.
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Meantime, The Ministry of Health and Education and Environmental Health Department (EHD) have brought in Diane MacDonald, Epidemiologist, as part of the technical assistance from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and CAREC to assist the national surveillance team with its ongoing investigation of the current gastroenteritis outbreak in Providenciales.

MacDonald is said to have many years of international experience in outbreak investigation, having worked in this capacity in various African and European countries. Additional technical assistance is forthcoming.

...Posted on May 28th, 2012

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http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=2574

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

TOURIST DIED OF HEART ATTACK

By Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Autopsy ruled out death from the mystery sickness in Grace Bay

The male visitor to the Turks and Caicos Islands who was found dead in his hotel room at the Grace Bay Club, died of a heart attack and not as a result of the mysterious sickness that has affected at least a dozen hotels in Grace Bay, on the island of Providenciales. Reliable sources told the SUN that visitor, whose name has been given as Steve Ware, suffered from ?acute myocardial infarction? or a heart attack.

?His death had absolutely nothing to do with the virus that has affected several persons on the island.
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Since the outbreak, Grace Bay Club, resort whose guests have included a US vice-president, world-famous actors singers, novelists and billionaires, has temporarily suspended new reservations because of a mysterious illness that has irritated about a dozen other resorts in this upscale Caribbean tourist destination.

Officials from Grace Bay, this country?s first luxury resort, said they will not take any new reservations until June 1, 2012. Mark Durliat, Chief Operating Officer, confirmed that some of their hotel guests have complained of diarrhoea and flu-like symptoms that also affected about a dozen other resorts in this country?s tourist belt, Grace Bay, which has won several coveted international awards, including the world?s best beach.

...Posted May 28 2012

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http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=2575

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

Source: http://tcweeklynews.com/grace-bay-cl...ak-p2645-1.htm

Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Grace Bay Club closes bookings over vomiting, diarrhea outbreak

GRACE Bay Club is no longer accepting new reservations, until June 1st, owing to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhea in the Grace Bay area.
The management of Grace Bay Club maintains that their primary concern is to ensure guests health and safety, and a full sanitization of Grace Bay Club is now fully underway to circumvent further symptoms.
Currently, Grace Bay Club is providing hand sanitizers throughout the resort to all guests and staff, and all public spaces, kitchens, restaurants, plumbing systems and guestrooms are being thoroughly sanitized with bleach according to the safety standards of the Department of Environmental Health.
Reports from the Ministry of Health and Education are that 10 hotels have guests that have been affected to date.
However, the Ministry?s acting Permanent Secretary, Desiree Lewis, told the Weekly News that the cause of the illness has not yet been determined...

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

Health issues in the news

Published on May 28, 2012

Reports from the resorts on Providenciales are that a number of tourists have been taken ill with intestinal problems...

...Nothing has yet been resolved. A retired nurse said that an investigation into the numerous illegal immigrants living in the bush without any sanitary facilities might reveal the source of the problem.

InterHealth Canada denies it has treated any cases of the illness. They have however had to service several cases of the flu which has struck down numerous adults in all of the Caicos Islands. The epidemic causes muscular pain, loss of appetite, headaches, low grade fever and general weakness. Many have been bedridden and several seniors have been hospitalized.

For reasons yet to be explained, the interim government is now requiring all work permit holders to submit to an extensive medical examination costing $250 per person. This replaces the annual blood test, which was costing foreign workers only $50.
...

http://www.tcinewsnow.com/headline-Health-issues-in-the-news-5282.html

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center><TBODY><TR><TD class=title colSpan=2>Mystery sickness outbreak escalates in Turks and Caicos


</TD></TR><TR><TD class=textsmall>Published on June 2, 2012</TD><TD class=textsmall align=right></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>
By Caribbean News Now contributor

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands -- What started out in the Turks and Caicos Islands with 20 reported cases of a malady described as the stomach flu now appears to have moved into a major outbreak.

One week ago the 20 cases became 100 and on Thursday reports from Providenciales-based broadcast media said it has now affected 300 people, primarily tourists. Local health officials have not determined if the sickness, which causes diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, headaches and low grade fever, is virus based or caused by biological sources. The possibility of the Provo water system being contaminated is suspected. Samples taken from victims are being sent to Trinidad for analysis.

It is not known why the new hospital run by InterHealth Canada, which has received a Canadian ?Diamond? rating, cannot perform the microscopic analysis...

http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Mystery-sickness-outbreak-escalates-in-Turks-and-Caicos-11154.html

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

Beaches Turks and Caicos ordered to close

By Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

The world-famous Beaches Resort Villages and Spa on the island of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands, has been ordered by health authorities to close until further notice because of the mystery virus that has plagued more than a dozen hotels in this high-end Caribbean tourist destination.

The temporary closure was ordered today Saturday June 2nd, following a number of high-level meetings between Beaches officials and a Government delegation and after it was reported that close to 60 guests at the hotel were affected by severe diarrhea and vomiting in recent weeks.

This action came at a time when Beaches was at full occupancy, with an estimated 2,500 guests, who are now either being transferred to other hotels in Providenciales or reimbursed for their vacation and going back to their countries of origin.
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Beaches Turks and Caicos is the largest resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands, currently boasting 633 rooms and suites that are spread among the Caribbean Village, the French Village and the Italian Village. It has 16 restaurants and 12 bars and boasts one of the largest waterparks in the Caribbean. It is also the largest private sector employer in the country, with a staff of around 1250.

Last week, another high-end Turks and Caicos hotel, Grace Bay Club, whose guests have included Rihanna, Al Gore, Denzil Washington, Stevie Wonder, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett, temporarily suspended new reservations after there were reports of diarrhea and vomiting among its guests. Operations there are now back to normal.

Meantime, the Ministry of Health and Education (MOHE) and Environmental Health Department (EHD) revealed that laboratory tests for ten individuals conducted at the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) Reference Laboratory were confirmed as Norovirus and that investigations are ongoing.
... Posted Saturday June 2nd, 2012


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http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=2594

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

OFFICIAL STATEMENT:

BEACHES TURKS AND CAICOS
STATEMENT
2nd June 2012

We can confirm that there has been reports of a short-term gastro illness that has affected a small number of guests staying at resorts in Providenciales over the past week.

Like other resorts on the island, Beaches Turks and Caicos has agreed to follow a recommendation by the Ministry of Health not to accept new guests at the resort until Saturday 9th June 2012 in order to undertake precautionary cleaning programs and break the 14-hour incubation of the illness.

At Beaches Turks and Caicos, we operate to the highest standards of health and safety in the world and whilst we have experienced a very small number of cases at the resort and in fact now have a fewer number of people affected by the illness. We continue to monitor the situation very closely and are working with the resorts and country?s healthcare professionals to ensure that health and safety practices are followed.

We advise guests booked to stay at Beaches Turks and Caicos over the next seven days to contact their travel agent or call 1-800-SANDALS as soon as possible in order to revise their booking.

We apologize unreservedly for any inconvenience that this may cause and extend our thanks for your patience and understanding. We would like to thank the Government and Ministry of Health of the Turks and Caicos Islands for their help and cooperation.

Gary C. Sadler
Sr. Vice President of Sales
Unique Vacations, Inc.
Worldwide Representative of
Sandals Resorts ? Beaches Resorts ? Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts

http://www.facebook.com/Beaches.Turks.Caicos

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos

Source: http://www.ktvb.com/news/national/156904985.html

Virus blamed for illness at Turks & Caicos resorts
Associated Press
Posted on June 3, 2012 at 12:31 PM
Updated today at 3:02 PM

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands (AP) ? Authorities in the Turks and Caicos Islands say a highly contagious virus is what sickened tourists at several hotels on the main island of Providenciales.

The islands' health ministry says laboratory tests for 10 people who fell ill found norovirus, which spreads quickly and causes nausea, diarrhea, cramps and other symptoms that generally last for about 24 hours...

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos - 10 cases of norovirus confirmed - investigations ongoing

Mystery illness in Turks and Caicos identified as norovirus, resort ordered closed

Published on June 4, 2012
By Caribbean News Now contributor

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands -- The Ministry of Health and Education (MOHE) and Environmental Health Department (EHD) in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) said in a press statement on Saturday that laboratory tests conducted at the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC) Reference Laboratory for ten individuals suffering from an outbreak of a mystery illness at resorts in Providenciales have been confirmed as norovirus.
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The investigations by the public health team in the TCI are ongoing. The local team has recently been strengthened with the arrival of Dr Lisa Indar, foodborne diseases manager at CAREC and Leslie Edwards, an epidemiologist also from CAREC. Additional assistance is due to arrive shortly from PAHO in the form of two Environmental health officers with extensive experience working with the hotel industry.
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The Ministry of Health and Education (MOHE) and EHD has encouraged the general public to practice healthy hygienic measures at all times such as frequent hand washing, especially when preparing meals, before eating and after using the toilet.

Full text:

http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/headline-Mystery-illness-in-Turks-and-Caicos-identified-as-norovirus,-resort-ordered-closed-11168.html

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos - 10 cases of norovirus confirmed - investigations ongoing

Beaches Turks and Caicos delays reopening

By Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Beaches Turks and Caicos says it will reopen on Wednesday, June 13th, instead of Saturday June 9th 2012 to ensure that the property is fully sanitised, following information released from the Ministry of Health announcing that ten cases of Norovirus had been confirmed in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

A press release from the resort said that based on information received from both international experts and local health authorities, the resort felt that it was in the best interests of its guests, team members and residents of Turks and Caicos Islands to complete an extensive sterilization program while the resort was completely unoccupied.

In the week commencing Monday, May 21st, only 1.35 % of the resort?s guest and staff (39 persons) complained of experiencing gastrointestinal illness. The following week, commencing Monday, May 28th, only 3.15 % of the resort?s guest and staff (94 persons) complained of experiencing gastrointestinal illness.

According to Beaches, the comprehensive disinfection includes a complete sanitization sterilization of all public areas, complete stripping and sterilizing of all accommodations, sterilizing of all cushions, mattresses and couches, the removal and isolated sterilization of all linen, curtain and drapes as well as the quarantining of all rooms to ensure that no traces of the virus remain.
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Beaches Turks and Caicos is the largest resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands, currently boasting 633 rooms and suites that are spread among the Caribbean Village, the French Village and the Italian Village. It can accommodate up to 2500 guests and it has 16 restaurants and 12 bars and boasts one of the largest waterparks in the Caribbean. It is also the largest private sector employer in the country, with a staff of around 1250.
Posted June 8 2012

Full text:

http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=2594

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos - Norovirus confirmed - investigation ongoing

Wednesday, Jun 13, 2012


Norovirus under control in TCI

By Vivian Tyson- SUN Senior Editor

The Norovirus which has been affecting a number of resorts, especially on Providenciales, has seen a rapid decrease according to reports from local and international health officials.

The attack of the virus resulted in a number of resorts, including Beaches, having to suspend accepting guests and undertake comprehensive sanitation work on all areas to rid the respective properties.

However, the Ministry of Health and Education and the US based International HIFU (High intensity focused ultrasound), concurred that the virus appears to be under control in the wake of the massive sanitizing exercises.
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?The Ministry of Health and Education (MOHE) and Environmental Health Department (EHD) are continuing their investigation of an outbreak of diarrhea and vomiting primarily affecting hotels and resorts in Providenciales. Norovirus has been identified as the causative agent based on the clinical features of the illness and laboratory confirmation from the Caribbean Epidemiology Center (CAREC).

To this end, the Public Health Team has recently been strengthened with the arrival of two experienced Environmental Health Officers from CAREC/PAHO. Infection control measures focused on personal hygiene and deep cleaning and sanitization are vital to prevent the spread of Norovirus. These are being promoted throughout the TCI. Public Health teams continue to conduct active surveillance at airports and affected hotels.

?The MOHE and EHD would also like to take this opportunity to reinforce the messages to the general public to practice healthy hygienic measures at all times such as frequent hand washing, especially when preparing meals, before eating and after using the toilet. The MOHE will keep the public up to date on any further developments in future press releases,? the ministry statement said.

Full text:

http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=2617

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Re: Mystery virus hits resorts in Turks and Caicos - Norovirus confirmed - investigation ongoing

Wednesday, Jun 13, 2012


Ocean Club tourist dies from Aneurysm

The InterHealth Canada-run Cheshire Hall Medical Centre is reporting that the death of an American tourist at Ocean Club Resort on Providenciales was as a result of aortic aneurysm ? a disease that commonly occurs in arteries at the base of the brain.

Robert Campbell, who doctors said was believed to be in his 60s and was vacationing from Texas, was pronounced dead at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre after he fell ill. His death raised concerns that it could have been triggered by the Norovirus which had attacked a number of hotels on that island. Some online blogs were forced to backtrack after going ahead and prematurely declared the virus as the cause of death.
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Campbell was the second tourist to have died in the space of a week.

Steve Ware, who was vacationing at Grace Bay Club, died of heart complications. Reports are that he had a 70 percent left artery block and an 80 percent right artery block, coupled with blood clots.

The authorities have reported that heart ailments among, especially older tourists are a common occurrence at the resorts on Grace Bay...

http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=2618