Dozens Get Sick After Catching Mysterious Illness While Visiting Disney World
Walt Disney World bills itself as “the happiest place on earth,” but it was anything but for several dozen people who became ill after visiting a nature tour in June.
According to Orange County, Florida, Health Department spokesman Dain Webster, hundreds of people have been questioned in connection to more than 30 cases of diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue and nausea that were detected last month.
All those who became ill took the three-hour “Wild Africa Trek” tour, which includes hikes, animal sightings and a catered snack.
While officials said there were no issues with Disney’s food service and no specific pathogen has been identified, they think the illnesses, which occurred during two days in early June, are gastrointestinal in nature. “The thing we’re trying to get everyone to understand is this is some kind of stomach bug,” said Weister.
Those who became sick ranged from adults to children and even included entire families. In response to the outbreak, Disney has thoroughly cleaned the tour, added more hand sanitizers, and retrained employees on the importance of hand hygiene.
Meanwhile, health officials continue to investigate the mysterious cluster of illnesses along with cooperation from Disney.
[NBC News]