Horseshoe Lake County Park in Kitsap County is reopning Aug. 14 after a norovirus outbreak. The last reported illness onset date was Aug. 3.
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Horseshoe Lake County Park in Kitsap County is closed after health officials suspect nearly 150 people may have contracted norovirus while swimming there.
Health officials say this is not the first time swimmers have been stricken with norovirus at Horseshoe Lake.
The last outbreak was in 2014. That year, there were 260 cases of norovirus from people who swam here at Horseshoe Lake. And the last outbreak before that was in 2010.
This latest outbreak occurred between July 28 and August 1. It came during the latest heat wave to hit the area. So far, Kitsap Public Health is investigating about 139 cases of illness.
Officials say they have ruled out everything else except norovirus. So they believe it is the culprit.
"We know we have an illness outbreak," said Jim Zimny, Kitsap County Public Health assistant director of environmental health. "That is undisputed. We know that the criteria that we have for this particular virus is vomiting, diarrhea and no other pathogens present."
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Zimny said almost certainly someone with diarrhea got into Horseshoe Lake and contaminated the water, which affected scores of others.
Curiously, Miracle Ranch Camp, which also sits on Horseshoe Lake, has no reports of illness.
Zimny said the illness tends not to travel. And sunlight will actually disinfect the lake but that takes time.
He said they will take samples from the lake again Tuesday, and should have results Wednesday.
They will decide then whether to reopen Horseshoe Lake.
Anyone who is sick should avoid swimming for at least 48 hours.
Cox Media Group
