Norovirus Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Norovirus Blog

Thursday, 29th September 2005
Yakub Qureshi

St Wilfredís in Northenden is closed until Monday after around 60 pupils and some staff fell ill.

A team of health officials, including infection control nurses, are now carrying out an inspection of the school. They say the illness appears similar to "winter vomiting virus", with symptoms including vomiting, stomach cramps and mild fever.

The outbreak is not thought to be connected to the e-coli outbreak which has hit Welsh schools.

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September 25, 2005

PHOENIX -- Authorities are trying to determine the source of tainted food that has sickened about 100 people on Colorado River tour boat trips through the Grand Canyon during the past month.

The gastrointestinal illness has affected tourists on 12 different trips with five tour companies, all based in Utah, said Adam Kramer, a public-health specialist for the National Park Service.

A stool sample tested positive for norovirus, the family of common viruses that have sickened many cruise ship passengers, Kramer said. The viruses cause intestinal distress that typically lasts for 24 to 48 hours.

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September 25, 2005

ELKHORN, Neb. (AP) -- Officials are blaming a salad bar for sickening 80 elementary students in Elkhorn this week and say more illnesses are likely among family members.

The salad bar lunch served on Monday likely caused students at Fire Ridge Elementary to become sick this week, officials with the Douglas County Health Department said on Friday.

It was either a student or a worker who was the source of a norovirus, which creates vomiting and other stomach problems after a period of one to two days, said Dr. Adi Pour, director of department.

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Norovirus Makes About 80 Elkhorn Kids Sick
September 23, 2005

ELKHORN, Neb. -- Children sickened at a metro school caught the norovirus, health officials said Friday.

About 80 children in Elkhorn fell ill between Tuesday and Friday. Most were vomiting or had diarrhea, and none were severely ill.

The norovirus is also known as the Norwalk virus, which has been in the news in recent years when cruise ship passengers got sick. It is transmitted from person to person by contact, or from one person to another by an contaminated surface.

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By CYNDY COLE
Sun Staff Reporter
9/22/2005

An estimated 100 boaters have become ill with norovirus over the past month in the Grand Canyon, leading health officials to query passengers and test portable toilets in hope of finding the source.

Twelve rafting trips, all run by five companies based in Utah, were affected with a nausea and diarrhea-inducing virus that was first reported to park officials on Aug. 26. The last of these trips has yet to come off the river.

One woman was evacuated by helicopter part-way through her river trip because of complications from the illness and a pre-existing condition.

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New Federal Law Gives Parents Access to Cafeteria Inspection Reports

Is your childís school cafeteria free of rodents, under-cooked or improperly stored food, and other hazards that can cause seriousóand possibly fatalófood poisoning? A new federal law makes it easier for parents to answer that question by requiring more frequent inspections and easy access to school cafeteria inspection reports.

Today the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the nonprofit nutrition and food safety watchdog group, released its School Food Safety Bill of Rights, which tells parents how to take advantage of the new law and become involved in promoting food safety at the school level. The new law was folded into the Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization bill last year by food safety advocates in Congress, led by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). It went into effect in July.

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September 21, 2005
The Associated Press

PHOENIX -- Authorities are, according to this story, trying to determine the source of tainted food that has sickened about 100 people on Colorado River tour boat trips through the Grand Canyon during the past month.

Adam Kramer, a public-health specialist for the National Park Service, was cited as saying the gastrointestinal illness has affected tourists on 12 different trips with five tour companies, all based in Utah, and that a stool sample tested positive for norovirus, the family of common viruses that have sickened many cruise ship passengers.

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Mark Shaffer
Republic Flagstaff Bureau
Sept. 20, 2005 08:06 PM

Officials from Grand Canyon National Park and the Coconino County health department said Tuesday that they are trying to determine the source of tainted food that has sickened about 100 people on Colorado River tour boat trips during the past month.

Adam Kramer, a public-health specialist for the National Park Service, said that the gastrointestinal illness has affected tourists on 12 different trips with five tour companies, all based in Utah. One stool sample analyzed tested positive for norovirus, Kramer said.

An outbreak of norovirus, a group of viruses that cause the stomach flu which typically lasts for 24 to 48 hours, at a wrestling camp at Northern Arizona University in July forced the Arizona Cardinals to move their training camp to Prescott. advertisement

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William Marler (Bill) is the managing partner in the law firm Marler Clark L.L.P., P.S. Since 1993, Bill has represented thousands of victims of E. coli, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Listeria, Shigella, Campylobacter and Norovirus illnesses in over thirty States.

Food poisoning lawsuits against companies responsible for introducing contaminated food into our food supply have become the focus of Billís professional career as an attorney. Billís first client who was injured after consuming contaminated food was nine-year-old Brianne Kiner, who fell with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome after eating a contaminated hamburger during the now-infamous Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak of 1993. Bill negotiated a $15.6 million settlement for Brianneís injuries, a record in the State of Washington for personal injury cases. He resolved several other cases from the Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak for over $2.5 million each.

Bill, known as the ìE. coli lawyer,î has since represented thousands of people sickened or killed in outbreaks of E. coli O157:H7 and other food borne pathogens, including Salmonella, Hepatitis, Shigella, Campylobacter, Norovirus, and Listeria. In 1998, he negotiated a reported $12 million settlement for the families of children who fell ill after drinking E. coli-contaminated apple juice sold by Odwalla; and in 2001, a jury awarded the families of eleven children Bill represented $4.6 million for the injuries they received during an E. coli outbreak traced to school lunch served at Finley Elementary School in Finley, Washington. He also resolved dozens of E. coli cases in 2003 related to one of the largest meat recalls in United States history. Bill recently settled an E. coli case for a young girl for $11 million. In addition, he has been lead counsel in litigation stemming from the following:

Seneca Lake State Park Cryptosporidium Outbreak

Dole Lettuce E. coli Outbreak

Sheetz Salmonella Outbreak

Paramount Farms Salmonella Outbreak

Sequoias Portola Valley E. coli Outbreak

Chi-Chi's Hepatitis A Outbreak

Gold Coast Produce E. coli Outbreak

Golden Corral Salmonella Outbreak

Habanero's E. coli Outbreak

Chili's Salmonella Outbreak

Peninsula Village E. coli Outbreak

Harmony Farms Salmonella Outbreak

Clarkston Quality Inn Salmonella Outbreak

KFC Salmonella Outbreak

Spokane Produce - E. coli Outbreak

Emmpak E. coli Outbreak

King Garden E. coli Outbreak

BJ's E. coli Outbreak

ConAgra E. coli Outbreak

Brook-Lea Salmonella Outbreak

Kunick Salmonella Outbreak

Western Sizzlin' Salmonella Outbreak

Shipley Sales Salmonella Outbreak

Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel Norwalk Outbreak

Abbott Cheese Listeria Outbreak

Robeson School District E. coli Outbreak

Black Forrest Salmonella Outbreak n

Bauer Meat E. coli Outbreak

Malt-O-Meal Salmonella Outbreak

Golden Corral E. coli Outbreak

Sun Orchard Salmonella Outbreak

Subway Hepatitis A Outbreak

San Antonio Taco Salmonella Outbreak

Karl Ehmer E. coli Outbreak

Supervalu E. coli Outbreak

Linh's Bakery Salmonella Outbreak

McDonalds Hepatitis A Outbreak

China Buffet E. coli Outbreak

Royal Fork Shigella Outbreak

Kentucky Fried Chicken E. coli Outbreak

D'Angelo's Hepatitis A Outbreak

Viva Mexico Shigella Outbreak

Sizzler E. coli Outbreak

Carl's Jr. Hepatitis A Outbreak

Wendy's E. coli Outbreak

Senor Felix Shigella Outbreak

Excel E. coli Outbreak

Bill speaks frequently on issues of safe food and formed OutBreak, Inc., (see www.outbreakinc.com), a non-profit business dedicated to training companies on how to avoid food borne diseases. He has been chosen by the attorneys of the State of Washington as a ìSuper Lawyer,î he has an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys. He is married to Julie Marler and they have three daughters, Morgan, Olivia and Sydney. Bill is a past board member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers, a member of the board of directors of Bainbridge Youth Services, and a member of the Children's Hospital Circle of Care. He is involved in numerous other civic and political causes.

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September 13, 2005
By BRENDAN RILEY
ASSOCIATED PRESS

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - The state Supreme Court was asked Tuesday to cancel a $25.2 million jury award to Reno Hilton guests who became violently ill during an intestinal virus outbreak in 1996.

Attorney David Frederick argued that Washoe District Court Judge Steven Elliott erred in not defining "despicable conduct" that would justify punitive damages. Lawyers for people stricken by the gastrointestinal virus said that conduct occurred when Reno Hilton supervisors hindered ill employees from taking sick leave.

Frederick also challenged Elliott's determination that the damages should be paid by Park Place Entertainment, which took over operation of the Reno Hilton after the Norwalk virus outbreak that caused more than 1,000 guests and employees to suffer from severe diarrhea and vomiting.

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By Sue Mueller
Sep 14, 2005

A recent study published in the August issue of the Journal of Medical Virology found that norovirus contamination was common in oysters worldwide.

Noroviruses are believed to be the major causes of acute gastroenteritis worldwide. Outbreaks of norovirus gastroenteritis are often associated with consumption of oysters, wrote Wilina W.L. Lim and colleagues at Publish Health Laboratory Centre in Hong Kong.

The researchers tested 507 samples of oysters imported from 11 countries over a period of three years. The researchers found that 10.5 percent were contaminated with noroviruses.

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By CDC
Sep 13, 2005

What are noroviruses?

Noroviruses are a group of viruses that cause the "stomach flu," or gastroenteritis (GAS-tro-en-ter-I-tis), in people. The term norovirus was recently approved as the official name for this group of viruses. Several other names have been used for noroviruses, including:

* Norwalk-like viruses (NLVs)
* caliciviruses (because they belong to the virus family Caliciviridae)
* small round structured viruses.

Viruses are very different from bacteria and parasites, some of which can cause illnesses similar to norvirus infection. Viruses are much smaller, are not affected by treatment with antibiotics, and cannot grow outside of a personís body.

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MSNBC.com
Tests on shellfish worldwide find high rate of disease-causing germ
Reuters
Sept. 13, 2005

NEW YORK - One out of every ten imported oysters screened in Hong Kong showed evidence of contamination with norovirus ó the term for Norwalk-like viruses that cause severe diarrhea and vomiting ó according to researchers.

Senior investigator Dr. Wilina W. L. Lim told Reuters Health that ìit appears that oysters may be an important vehicle for introducing novel strains of norovirus.î

Outbreaks of gastric illness caused by norovirus are often linked to eating oysters and contamination appears to be widespread, note Lim, at the Public Health Laboratory Center, Kowloon, and colleagues in the Journal of Medical Virology.

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Tue Sep 13, 2005

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - One out of every ten imported oysters screened in Hong Kong showed evidence of contamination with norovirus -- the term for Norwalk-like viruses that cause severe diarrhea and vomiting -- according to researchers.

Senior investigator Dr. Wilina W. L. Lim told Reuters Health that "it appears that oysters may be an important vehicle for introducing novel strains of norovirus."

Outbreaks of gastric illness caused by norovirus are often linked to eating oysters and contamination appears to be widespread, note Lim, at the Public Health Laboratory Center, Kowloon, and colleagues in the Journal of Medical Virology.

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TheDenverChannel.com
30-40 Boulder Journey Charter School Students, Staff, Parents Affected
September 13, 2005

BOULDER, Colo. -- What appears to be an outbreak of Norovirus at a Boulder school is believed to be contained, according to the Boulder County Health Department.

Thirty to 40 students, staff and family members connected to Boulder Journey Charter School began vomiting and suffering from diarrhea last week.

The foodborne gastrointestinal illness is said to spread quickly but is also over quickly.

"Norovirus is probably one of those agents we see more outbreaks of than anything else these days, and it's just because it is so easy to spread from person to person," said Heath Harmon with Boulder Public Health.

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Sun, Sep. 11, 2005
By Anne Chalfant
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

THE CRUISER'S DAY starts one of two ways: sleep late, bobbing along in the deep blue because it's a day at sea.

Or, grab the camera and don't forget the water bottle -- the ship has magically docked in a new port overnight.

Heading out to a new port is exciting -- new cityscape, the wafting aromas of new cuisine, perhaps a new language and culture.

Most cruise lines do a good job of preparing you for port, with onboard lecturers on bigger lines filling you in on history, important sites and tips such as "how to lose yourself in Venice because you will anyway." The lectures are supplemented by closed circuit talks on the television channel. Plus there's more help: The shore desk outfits you with maps, can hire you a guide or book the ship's own shore excursions for you. One tip: Shore excursion trips to very popular destinations can often be booked several weeks prior to sailing, and they do sell out.

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07 Sep 2005 21:40:46 GMT

Source: Reuters

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Three people have died from bacterial infections in Gulf states after Hurricane Katrina, and tests confirm that the water flooding New Orleans is a stew of sewage-borne bacteria, federal officials said on Wednesday.

A fourth person in the Gulf region is suspected to be infected with Vibrio vulnificus, a common marine bacteria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Julie Gerberding told reporters, citing reports from state health officials in Mississippi and Texas.

"This does not represent an outbreak," Gerberding told a news conference. "It does not spread from person to person."

"People who are compromised in immunity can sometimes develop very severe infections from these bacteria. We see cases of this from time to time along the coast," she added.

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. Northern Arizona University is still trying to tally up the financial losses suffered because of an outbreak of gastrointestinal virus that causes flu-like symptoms.

The university lost revenue because of the summer camps it had to cancel to prevent the further spread of the norovirus.

The Arizona Cardinals also moved their training camp from Flagstaff to Prescott because of the outbreak.

The Cardinals camp usually generates nearly a half (m) million dollars a year for the school and the community.

University President John Haeger has convened a committee of university and community members to work toward getting the Cardinals back in Flagstaff next year.

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