{"id":2267365,"date":"2024-06-13T21:35:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T01:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dozens-sickened-in-outbreak-at-scenic-grand-canyon-location-is-it-something-in-the-water\/"},"modified":"2024-06-13T21:41:57","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T01:41:57","slug":"dozens-sickened-in-outbreak-at-scenic-grand-canyon-location-is-it-something-in-the-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dozens-sickened-in-outbreak-at-scenic-grand-canyon-location-is-it-something-in-the-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Outbreak at Grand Canyon Sickens Many &#8211; Could Water Be the Cause?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdozens-sickened-in-outbreak-at-scenic-grand-canyon-location-is-it-something-in-the-water%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2267365&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Dozens of \u200chikers have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chinese-dissident-says-china-could-release-covid-19-at-military-games\/\" title=\"Chinese dissident says China could release COVID-19 at military games\">reported falling ill<\/a> after visiting\u200b a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nypd-searching-for-suspect-who-shot-tourist-in-times-square\/\" title=\"NYPD searching for suspect who shot tourist in Times Square\">popular tourist destination<\/a> next to the Grand\u200d Canyon National Park, \u2064known for its \u200cdistinct blue-green waterfalls within\u2062 the \u200cHavasupai reservation. Madelyn Melchiors, a \u200dveterinarian\u2062 who experienced severe vomiting and persistent fever after her trip, managed to leave the site despite her weakened condition, aided by mules that carried her gear. The Indian \u200dHealth Service has \u2062intervened, providing \u2063medical\u2062 help and \u200bsending \u200benvironmental health officers to investigate and control\u200b the outbreak. Although\u2063 the\u200c water sources\u2063 Melchiors used were treated, \u200bthey did not filter viruses, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/san-francisco-lawmaker-proposes-plan-to-make-it-easier-to-prosecute-carjackers\/\" title=\"SF lawmaker proposes plan to streamline carjacker prosecutions.\">hygiene facilities<\/a> were limited, \u200ccomplicating sanitation efforts. Local health officials have advised\u200d hikers\u2063 to filter water and watch for early symptoms of\u200d illnesses such as norovirus. The reservation is \u2063a remote area that relies heavily on tourism,\u200c accessible only by foot, \u2063helicopter,\u2064 or animal transport, featuring a small village and campgrounds that promote minimalistic, eco-friendly \u2063practices but are\u200c currently facing environmental\u2062 challenges due \u2063to trash \u2062left \u2063by visitors.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<header> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/news\/\">  News <\/a>   <span> <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/ap-reports\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<p> <span>   By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/ap-reports\/%20\"><span>The Associated Press<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <span>   June 13, 2024 at 12:51pm <\/span> <\/span>  <\/header>\n<section>\n<p>Dozens of hikers say they fell ill during trips to a popular Arizona tourist destination that features towering blue-green waterfalls deep in a gorge neighboring Grand Canyon National Park.<\/p>\n<p>Madelyn Melchiors, a 32-year-old veterinarian from Kingman, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-pledges-arizona-crowd-rescind-bidens-weak-border-executive-order-day-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Arizona<\/a>, said she was vomiting severely Monday evening and had a fever that endured for days after camping on the Havasupai reservation.<\/p>\n<p>She eventually hiked out to her car in a weakened state through stiflingly hot weather and was thankful that her pack could be transported up a winding trail several miles by mule, she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI said, \u2018If someone can just pack out my 30-pound pack, I think I can just limp along,\u2019\u201d said Melchiors, an experienced and regular backpacker. Afterward, \u201cI slept 16 hours and drank a bunch of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/university-warns-viral-drinking-trend-28-ambulances-called-off-campus-blowout\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">electrolytes<\/a>. I\u2019m still not normal, but I will be OK. I\u2019m grateful for that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The federal Indian Health Service said Thursday that a clinic it oversees on the reservation is providing timely medical attention to people who became ill.<\/p>\n<p>Environmental health officers with the regional IHS office were sent to Havasupai to investigate the source of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/parasitic-worm-outbreak-traced-back-single-event-even-ate-veggies-infected\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">outbreak<\/a> and to implement measures to keep it from spreading, the agency said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur priority is the health and well-being of the Havasupai residents and visitors, and we are working closely with local health authorities and other partners to manage this situation effectively,\u201d the agency said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>While camping, Melchiors said she drank from a spring that is tested and listed as potable, as well as other sources using a gravity-fed filter that screens out bacteria and protozoa \u2014 but not viruses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did a pretty good job using hand sanitizer\u201d after going to the bathroom, she said. \u201cIt\u2019s not like you can use soap or water easily.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"firefly-poll-container\">\n<p>Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Coconino County <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ap-california-officials-warn-people-not-eat-raw-oysters-mexico-may-linked-norovirus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">health officials<\/a> said Tuesday they received a report from a group of people who hiked to the waterfalls of \u201cgastrointestinal illness\u201d but didn\u2019t know how many people had been affected. The tribe\u2019s land is outside the county\u2019s jurisdiction.<\/p>\n<p>Still, county health spokesperson Trish Lees said hikers should take extra precautions to prevent the spread of illness, including filtering water.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWatch for early symptoms of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/cruise-ship-returns-port-day-early-277-people-contract-norovirus-forced-stay-boat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">norovirus<\/a>, such as stomach pain and nausea, before the trip. Norovirus spreads easily on camping trips, especially when clean water supplies can be limited and hand washing facilities may be non-existent. Isolate people who are sick from other campers,\u201d the county said.<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of tourists travel to the Havasupai reservation each year to camp near a series of picturesque waterfalls. The reservation is remote and accessible only by foot, helicopter, or by riding a horse or mule.<\/p>\n<p>The hike takes tourists eight miles down a winding trail through desert landscape before they reach the first waterfall.<\/p>\n<p>Then comes the village of Supai, where 600 tribal members live year-round. Another two miles down the trail are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/men-cooking-gear-yellowstone-hot-water-authorities-discover-done\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">campsites<\/a> with waterfalls on both ends.<\/p>\n<p>Tourism is a primary source of revenue for the Havasupai Tribe. The campground that has a creek running through it has limited infrastructure. The hundreds of daily overnight campers can use composting toilets on site and are asked to pack out refuse. Recent accounts from hikers on social media indicate trails are littered with garbage, including bathroom tissue, plastic bottles and fuel canisters.<\/p>\n<p>The Havasupai Tribe Tourism Office says it tested the water last week from a local spring that visitors rely on for drinking and found it was safe for human consumption.<\/p>\n<p>KSAZ-TV in Phoenix first reported on the illnesses Wednesday, saying some groups opted to take a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ap-ceo-major-nigerian-bank-killed-california-helicopter-crash-director-general-wto-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">helicopter<\/a> out of the canyon because they were too sick to hike out.<\/p>\n<p>Dozens of other people have posted on social media in recent days, describing their travails with gastrointestinal problems.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI definitely have a literally bitter taste in my mouth right now,\u201d Melchiors said. \u201cI think I would approach things a little bit differently.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.<\/p>\n<div id=\"author-info-44902\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/author\/ap-reports\/\">  <\/a> <\/p>\n<div>\n<p><label for=\"summary-tab-radio-44902\">Summary<\/label><label for=\"more-info-tab-radio-44902\">More<span> Biographical Information<\/span><\/label><label for=\"posts-tab-radio-44902\">Recent<span> Posts<\/span><\/label><label for=\"contact-tab-radio-44902\" onclick=\"if( typeof grecaptcha=='undefined' ) { let cap_s=document.createElement( 'script' ); cap_s.src='https:\/\/www.google.com\/recaptcha\/api.js?render=6LeJFcsUAAAAAPsIEqvB1EebWbZfqRUe6ebMpGy7'; document.body.appendChild( cap_s ); }\">Contact<\/label><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world\u2019s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dozens of hikers reported falling ill at a renowned Arizona tourist spot near Grand Canyon National Park, known for its striking blue-green waterfalls. Madelyn Melchiors, a 32-year-old veterinarian from Kingman, Arizona, experienced severe vomiting on Monday evening during her visit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":2267366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/8c0f7bac131c475d83895306389bca2b-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2267365","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/8c0f7bac131c475d83895306389bca2b-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2267365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2267365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2267365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2267366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2267365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2267365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2267365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}