United States

41 Security Guards in Pyeongchang Hospitalized After Norovirus Outbreak

The International Olympic Committee said it was isolating 1,200 people handling security for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and distributing leaflets about preventing infection after 41 security guards were hospitalized with vomiting amid an outbreak of norovirus.

South Korea has moved military troops in to handle security in the interim, NBC News reported.

The nasty stomach bug causes vomiting, cramps and diarrhea. It can and does infect any large gatherings of people such as hundreds of passengers on cruise ships, people who share a restaurant table or those who eat food prepared by someone sick with norovirus.

Norovirus, also called stomach flu and winter vomiting virus, sickens 21 million people in the U.S. each year. There’s no cure — treatment involves supporting people to make sure they don’t suffer dehydration. And there’s no vaccine to protect against infection. 

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