Pandemic Planning Anyone? Norovirus Outbreak At Moscone Center

Photo by AJC1

Looking for a reason to have a pandemic plan? What if you went to a convention, and everyone around was getting sick? Or what if you were from the business that was running the event, what would you do?

Sound unlikely? Not so fast... Recently there was an outbreak that occurred at a convention here in San Francisco that should give anyone that thinks they do not need such a plan a reason to rethink about the risks if they do not have a pandemic plan in place.

In the last week or so, about 70 people became ill at the Moscone Center in San Francisco during the Sun Micro Systems JavaOne convnetion from a highly contagious norovirus.

The Virus also known as "stomach flu" and as viral gastroenteritis which is the most common name for the illness caused by norovirus, causes violent and sometimes uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea.

The Moscone Center has been completely disinfected by workers according to the center, and officials are asking anyone who has felt ill to please stay away for 24-48 hours. Organizers also sent out a mass communications email to all attendees to inform them of the outbreak.

Measles Outbreak, On the Verge of An Epidemic

We recently made a brief mention about a small number of measle cases in the United States Here and Here.

Now health officials are worrying about the rise in the number of cases as well as a decline in the number of children being vaccinated in several countries worldwide, including the U.S. due to what is being called unproven fears in which vaccines are said to be the cause of autism.

So far there have been 64 reported cases of the measles, the highest number since 2001, according the the CDC report.

Measles is spread through coughing and sneezing and is HIGHLY contagious. Symptoms can include rash, high fever, coughing, and runny nose. The disease can also cause more serious complications, such as ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) — even death.

Measles is on the rise again worldwide in areas where people are choosing not to be vaccinated against the disease.

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