More than 200 people in Washington State are sick after contracting what's suspected to be norovirus from a lake southwest of Seattle, health officials said.
The Kitsap Public Health District and Kitsap County Parks and Recreation Department decided to temporarily close Horseshoe Lake County Park until further notice after receiving multiple reports of people getting sick one to two days after swimming in the lake.
Norovirus, the culprit of widespread illness across cruise ships like Princess Cruise's Crown Princess in April and Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas in February, causes diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps and spreads quickly in close quarters.
Horseshoe Lake County Park's restrooms were sanitized while officials waited for test results, said Karen McKay Bevers, a spokesperson for the Kitsap Public Health District.
People who visited Horseshoe Lake County Park between July 10 and July 13, who subsequently start feeling ill, are encouraged to call the local health district. If their symptoms do not improve within a day, or take a turn for the worse, they are encouraged to see their doctor as soon as possible. The illness, however, does subside in most cases just one or two days after it starts.
Doug Chase, who directs a camp on the lake, told the Associated Press, 'we feel like the conservative approach is best.' His staff is currently using sprinklers to cool off sweltering campers.
And not too far away, in Portland, Oregon, Blue Lake Regional Park closed on Monday amidst suspicion of norovirus. Two families got sick after swimming there over the weekend.
'Our initial impression is that the illness is due to norovirus or a similar stomach virus,' Multnomah County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Vine told KOIN5. There, officials are also checking for E. coli, which, like norovirus, has been associated with the lake in the past.
Frequent handwashing with soap and warm water for can help stop the spread of the virus, as well as cleaning and sanitizing sinks and toilets. Health officials also reminded the public that people who are sick or anyone wearing diapers should not enter the water.
ON A MOBILE DEVICE? WATCH THE VIDEO HERE.
mengel@nydailynews.com
