** MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT **
Woods Pond Investigation Results
Town of Bridgton
Monday, July 23,
According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, norovirus was found in two human stool specimens submitted for testing which confirms that this was a Norovirus outbreak. As of 7/19/18, epidemiologists have identified 97 people who reported being ill and were associated with this outbreak.
The CDC’s epidemiological investigation found that people who put their heads under the water while swimming or swallowed water while swimming were at greater risk for infection. Of note, there were several people who were not at the beach who became ill after caring for someone who was ill.
According to the CDC,
“Norovirus is very contagious and spreads easily from person to person. It is common in Maine and throughout the U.S.
- Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping. Symptoms generally start 24-48 hours after swallowing the virus, though it can appear earlier than that. Illness is usually not serious though people can feel very sick. Most people get better within 1-2 days.
- There is no treatment. If you feel unwell, consulting with your medical provider is recommended.
- You can decrease your chance of getting ill by washing your hands often with soap and water, carefully washing fruits and vegetables, and thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting contaminated surfaces.”
A Norovirus Fact Sheet from the Maine CDC can be found at: https://bridgtonmaine.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Norovirus_FS_2017.pdf