Mystery Illness Plagues Walt Disney World
Heath officials and investigators are currently examining the slew of illnesses linked to Walt Disney World's Wild Africa Trek
The manmade savannah, which brings in nearly 9.8 million visitors a year, was created to give Disney visitors an opportunity to get intimate access with the wildlife in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The tour, which can range from $139 to $249 per person—not included in regular park admissions—gives visitors a three-hour tour, where they get to enjoy a "once-in-a-lifetime experiences," but since June and July those "once-in-a-lifetime experiences," came with a stomach bug.
According to spokesman for the Orange County Health Department, Dain Weister, they believe it may be some kind of airborne, water-borne, food-borne, something passed on person-to-person, or picked up by a surface, stomach bug.
Orange County's Health Department was notified about the related illnesses June 11. The first thorough investigation began with the kitchen, where employees prepare the catered meals that comes along with the Wild Africa Trek. Through examinations, nothing was found not of the ordinary.
Investigators then began to contact visitors who participated in the tour. It was found that many of the guests who experienced this stomach bug symptoms participated in the tour during the first week of June, and a good amount in July. They [investigators] are currently contacting people who experienced the tour later in June.
Though many of the guests were treated for vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and nausea, no one was required to stay overnight at a hospital for observations.
Examiners have also tested some stool as an attempt to identify a pathogen, but that was unsuccessful.
Weister believes the illnesses are restricted to this one excursion and has not spread throughout the rest of the Animal Kingdom theme park.
Weister told Orlando Sentinel, "What we see in a lot of these cases is it boils down to hygiene. Simple hand washing — proper hand washing and hand sanitizer — because all it takes is one person that doesn't do it that has a germ on their hands and they touch a surface. And it can just take off."