Canada: Gastrointestinal illness in travellers returning from Cuba

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/visitors+Cuba+return+sick/6030202/story.html

39 visitors to Cuba return sick

Three flights this week carried ailing passengers
By Tony Lofaro, Ottawa Citizen January 21, 2012

Three flights from Cuba to Canada had at least 39 passengers returning with a variety of gastrointestinal illnesses, the Public Health Agency of Canada said Friday.

Two flights that arrived in Ottawa from Cuba on Tuesday and Friday had 19 passengers suffering from symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and fever, while a Thursday flight from Cuba to Toronto had 20 suffering from the same symptoms.

"In all cases, quarantine officers assessed the situation, determined that the passengers did not have a disease listed in the Quarantine Act and thus did not pose a significant public health risk and passengers were released," said spokesperson Sylwia Gomes in an email reply to the Citizen...

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Canada: Gastrointestinal illness in travellers returning from Cuba

Norovirus likely culprit in illness among Cuba vacationers returning to Ottawa​

By Tom Spears, The Ottawa Citizen January 23, 2012 4:05 PM ​

OTTAWA ? The 44 Canadians who flew home from Cuba while vomiting or suffering diarrhea last week all had ?symptoms consistent with norovirus,? officials here say.

But the Public Health Agency of Canada says there have been no new cases since the flight the arrived in Ottawa Friday evening with 11 sick passengers. It was the fourth such flight to land in Ottawa or Toronto last week.

As well, 11 passengers who landed in Montreal Saturday felt nauseous, but none were actually vomiting and so public health officials weren?t called in to say whether this was more norovirus.

All came from the resort town of Holguin, but they had been at different resorts.​

Read more: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health...rning+Ottawa/6038802/story.html#ixzz1kJsum1Oa​

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[Pathfinder]

Re: Canada: Gastrointestinal illness in travellers returning from Cuba

Dozens of Quebec vacationers show signs of norovirus

By Katherine Wilton, The Gazette January 23, 2012

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MONTREAL - A Montreal woman who became ill while attending her cousin?s wedding in Cuba believes she and other members of her family picked up a virus during their vacation ? not on an airplane.​

Sabrina Sollecito said about 25 of the 29 people who travelled with her to the resort town of Holguin became ill with either diarrhea, vomiting or nausea. The group flew to Cuba on Jan. 9 on a CanJet flight from Montreal.​

Not even the bride was spared, said Sollecito, who is a nurse. The bride became ill the day after her wedding and had to stay in her room.
?As the week went by, more people were ill,? recalled Sollecito, who was sick for 24 hours. ?It seemed to me to be a gastro because other people at the resort were also complaining about being sick.?​

A doctor had to visit several of Sollecito?s relatives in their hotel rooms because they felt so weak, she said.​

Air Transat announced this week that 45 of its passengers were ill while flying home on three flights from Holguin to Toronto and Ottawa. The sick passengers were examined by public health employees, who determined they did not need to be quarantined.​

About 15 passengers who landed in Montreal on Saturday night felt nauseous, said Debbie Cabana, an Air Transat spokesperson.​

The Public Health Agency of Canada has notified Cuban officials of the illnesses and Cuban officials are trying to determine whether there is an outbreak of a specific virus, agency spokesperson Sylwia Gomes said.​

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/heal...ns+norovirus/6039485/story.html#ixzz1kO9bwdBM​

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