South Korea: Norovirus outbreak reported in PyeongChang Feb. 6

Event

On Tuesday, February 6, officials from the Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) warned that a norovirus outbreak had been reported among Olympic security personnel in PyeongChang. According to local sources, at least 41 Olympic security guards staying at the Horeb Odaesan Youth Training Center had contracted the disease as of Sunday, February 4.

Health officials believe that a major outbreak is unlikely, but are nonetheless implementing precautionary measures to limit the spread of the disease, including the temporary quarantine of the 1200 security guards present at the training center.

Context

The international Winter Olympic games will be held in PyeongChang from February 9 through February 25. Hundreds of thousands of tourists are expected to travel to South Korea to watch the game.

Norovirus is highly contagious and is spread by coming into contact with someone who is infected or touching surfaces or objects that have been contaminated. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain, which typically last for one or two days. Diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration, especially in young children, older adults, and people with other illnesses, and hospitalization may be required in severe cases. There is no specific medication to treat norovirus, which often goes by other names or may be misdiagnosed (e.g., viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, food poisoning).

Advice

To reduce the risk of contracting norovirus, wash hands regularly, particularly before eating or preparing food, and thoroughly wash fruits, vegetables, and seafood. If you become sick, do not prepare food or care for others to avoid spreading the virus. Immediately clean and disinfect any surfaces that may have become contaminated.