Vegas virus cases
steadily dropThe total is up, but the rate
of new cases continues to decline,
Nevada officials say
Health officials in Clark County, Nev., reported a slight increase in the total number of people who reported contracting a stomach flu-like virus, but noted a steady decline in the rate of new cases.
Reported complaints
Clark County officials provided an updated month-to-month breakdown of illness complaints from those who have visited or stayed at the California Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas:December 2003: 197
January: 432
February: 640
March: 312 (as of Sunday)
"We're encouraged by the steady decline, but are remaining vigilant in working with the California (Hotel & Casino) with the heightened sanitation," said David Tonelli, spokesman for the Clark County Health District in Las Vegas.
The total number of cases of the Norwalk virus for those who visited or stayed at the California Hotel & Casino since Dec. 3 rose to 1,581 as of Sunday. Last week, health officials reported 1,475 cases between Dec. 3 and March 21. The number of new cases has continued to drop in the last three weeks.
The Clark County Health District in Las Vegas reported 32 cases between March 20 and March 26; 57 cases between March 13 and March 19; and 105 cases between March 5 and March 12.
Symptoms of the Norwalk virus include acute vomiting and/or diarrhea that could last up to three days. Most people that complained of suffering from stomach flu-like symptoms are from Hawaii, Tonelli said.
A team of communicable-disease specialists from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are assisting health officials in the investigation of the outbreak.
Health officials will consider the outbreak over when they see a "sustained decline" where two to three complaints are received per week over a one-month period.
Rob Stillwell, spokesman of Boyd Gaming Corp., which owns the California, Main Street Station Hotel & Casino and Fremont Hotel & Casino, said the decline is a "direct result of our enhanced sanitation efforts."
Stillwell noted that those who reported to have suffered from the Norwalk virus have yet to be confirmed.
"We are in the middle of flu season," he said, adding that flu symptoms are similar to noro-virus symptoms.
Health officials earlier confirmed that three people -- a Las Vegas couple and a Hawaii resident -- had the Norwalk virus.
Since March 25, Omni Air passengers heading to Las Vegas from Honolulu have been handed a survey inquiring which hotel the person will be staying at and whether they experienced any flulike symptoms in the last three days or while they were on the airplane.
Passengers heading back to Honolulu from Las Vegas are handed a similar survey, with additional questions inquiring whether the person experienced any stomach flu-like symptoms in the past two weeks, participated in activities such as playing slot machines or blackjack, whether they ate at any Boyd-owned restaurants in downtown Las Vegas, and whether the person had shellfish in any of their meals.
Those who believe they were infected by the Norwalk virus during a Las Vegas visit can call the Clark County Health District's epidemiology office at (702) 759-1300.
