Pandemic Planning Anyone? Norovirus Outbreak At Moscone Center

Photo by AJC1

Looking for a reason to have a pandemic plan? What if you went to a convention, and everyone around was getting sick? Or what if you were from the business that was running the event, what would you do?

Sound unlikely? Not so fast... Recently there was an outbreak that occurred at a convention here in San Francisco that should give anyone that thinks they do not need such a plan a reason to rethink about the risks if they do not have a pandemic plan in place.

In the last week or so, about 70 people became ill at the Moscone Center in San Francisco during the Sun Micro Systems JavaOne convnetion from a highly contagious norovirus.

The Virus also known as "stomach flu" and as viral gastroenteritis which is the most common name for the illness caused by norovirus, causes violent and sometimes uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea.

The Moscone Center has been completely disinfected by workers according to the center, and officials are asking anyone who has felt ill to please stay away for 24-48 hours. Organizers also sent out a mass communications email to all attendees to inform them of the outbreak.