The Grand Canyon is an immense, vibrantly painted geological surprise, treasured for its awe-inspiring stratified structure, which has been spectacularly sculpted over tens of millions of years. Up shut, it would blow your thoughts and take your breath away—and if you happen to’ve visited just lately, it could additionally violently flush your colon and have you ever projectile vomiting your granola bars.
That is proper—the majestic pure surprise has been the positioning of a months-long outbreak of gastrointestinal sickness, seemingly brought on by norovirus. The virus was confirmed to be the reason for diseases amongst a minimum of eight rafting journeys. Total, greater than 150 river rafters and backcountry campers have fallen ailing since April, in response to a current replace from the Grand Canyon Nationwide Park Service.
Whereas many could have sought the out of doors grandeur in hopes of avoiding the pandemic coronavirus, it appears they have been as an alternative met with a distinct germ that has been savagely hollowing out innards at a tempo many orders of magnitude quicker than the Colorado River gutted the southwestern part of the Colorado Plateau. Amid the easily carved buttes and intricately chiseled chasms serenely formed over eons, park-goers are blowing chunks from each ends in sizzling seconds. And as an alternative of reaching each the North and South Rims throughout their visits, some are compelled to stay perched on the sting of a much smaller basin.
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