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Virus affecting many in Fromista, Carrion de Los Condes

happymarkos

HappyMark
Time of past OR future Camino
2023. Finish the VDLP. Zamora to Santiago.
Hello to all on the Meseta
I am one of the unfortunate ones who caught this virus and had a day of tests in hospital. Mainly because of my age and prior surgery.
l now OK but need rest. The doctor said it is a seasonal virus and not related to the food or water as many think we’re the causes.
Vomiting and or diarrhoea but usually for about 24 hours.
Albergues very understanding when people need to stay on.
Buen Camino
Happymark
 
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Hello to all on the Meseta
I am one of the unfortunate ones who caught this virus and had a day of tests in hospital. Mainly because of my age and prior surgery.
l now OK but need rest. The doctor said it is a seasonal virus and not related to the food or water as many think we’re the causes.
Vomiting and or diarrhoea but usually for about 24 hours.
Albergues very understanding when people need to stay on.
Buen Camino
Happymark

Get well soon.

May you still have a buen camino.
 
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One reason why I keep all my vaccinations up to date, including my annual senior flu shot... Just sayin...

Hope this all passes and fast...
 
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Oh...THOSE viruses! o_O:eek:

It is commonly believed that most fuentes in the section after Fromista, through about Sahagun, are generally contaminated by surface pollution from chemical fertilizers and pesticides. I am certain that any shallow springs or wells, most of the really old ones, are likely contaminated by animal fecal runoff as well.

Tap water in inhabited places: homes, cafes, etc. are safe. Spain's drinking water meets all international safety specifications.

If we are talking a GI 'bug' or virus, you have my utmost empathy and sympathy. I have often opined that, short of physical death, the worst thing that can befall a pilgrim is a gastrointestinal illness. Just stay put, rest up and do not leave the near proximity of proper facilities until you are certain. I cannot imagine anything ruining a Camino more than this situation.

On the Camino, there are days to be smart and days to be brave.... Be SMART...stay put for the duration...

The good news is that both Fromista and Carrion have good farmacias...
 
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Happened to me last night. Horrible. I too thought it was food poisoning but Donal had had it too and spoken to you. I met a woman this morning in Carrión who had also had it last night. Could be noro. Keep clean.
 
I missed it by only a few days! Best wishes to all, get well and Buen Camino!
 
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Yes, I too got hit with the Big D. That end’s okay now, but I think my weakened immune system couldn’t fight the cold virus. In Samos. In bed.
 
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Hello to all on the Meseta
I am one of the unfortunate ones who caught this virus and had a day of tests in hospital. Mainly because of my age and prior surgery.
l now OK but need rest. The doctor said it is a seasonal virus and not related to the food or water as many think we’re the causes.
Vomiting and or diarrhoea but usually for about 24 hours.
Albergues very understanding when people need to stay on.
Buen Camino
Happymark

I know how you feel. I had a similar problem when walking through the Meseta in 2015. It hit me half way through the days walk and I had no option but to continue walking, vomiting all the way. It was in a section where there were only villages about every 20kms.
 
On my first Camino, I had stomach trouble in this area. I was convinced that a restaurant in Carrion was where I contracted it, and posted in this forum as a warning to others. A man in my albergue said that exactly the same thing had happened to people he knew a year previously. There were many responses on the forum, saying I was about to destroy the business of this restaurant. In retrospect, I still believe that there is a problem with the water in this part of Spain. I didn't drink from fountains - ever - but I did consume a huge trout in the Carrion restaurant and it must have been swimming in this contaminated water!
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
We were a group of 6 walking through this area in late September. 5 of 6 of us were hit with this in Carríon on the 29th or Ledigos on the 30th. We also heard of many, many others. So, whatever it is, it’s persistent. The “good” news is that the worst of it was over in 12-24 hours. Wash hands frequently!!! Looking back from the comfort of home now, it was a small part of an overall truly incredible experience!
 
My wife got this same horrible bug walking into Fromista! It was odd, as she and I were eating the same things. It took her out of condition for an entire day. Then, for some bizarre reason, she had so much energy the next day that I could not keep up with her!
 
Hello to all on the Meseta
I am one of the unfortunate ones who caught this virus and had a day of tests in hospital. Mainly because of my age and prior surgery.
l now OK but need rest. The doctor said it is a seasonal virus and not related to the food or water as many think we’re the causes.
Vomiting and or diarrhoea but usually for about 24 hours.
Albergues very understanding when people need to stay on.
Buen Camino
Happymark
 
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Hello to all on the Meseta
I am one of the unfortunate ones who caught this virus and had a day of tests in hospital. Mainly because of my age and prior surgery.
l now OK but need rest. The doctor said it is a seasonal virus and not related to the food or water as many think we’re the causes.
Vomiting and or diarrhoea but usually for about 24 hours.
Albergues very understanding when people need to stay on.
Buen Camino
Happymark
 
Happened to me last night. Horrible. I too thought it was food poisoning but Donal had had it too and spoken to you. I met a woman this morning in Carrión who had also had it last night. Could be noro. Keep clean.
Certainly sounds like Norovirus which can run rampant in places like allergies.
 
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I have come across this a few times. There was a virus on the camino Finisterre when I walked in 2015, and another on the Primitivo in 2017. Both were not water or food related, and seemed a bit hit and miss who actually it hit. Even people in different albergues and casa rurales got it in the same village on the Primitivo. 24 hours and it passed. Luckily I missed it both times. I just thought it 'just one of those things'. The hospitalero's looked after those ill and let them stay an extra night. Nobody got really worried about it.
 
Live 27.10. 2018. We have met a few a long the way who have suffered from vomiting and diahorrra at Carrion which left them out of walking action for up to three days . We are now at Foncebadon .

En el Camino hotel - bed bugs Boarilla
Check underneath your mattress - everyone- don’t be complacent , we encountered fat bed bugs in clean hotel - beautiful white sheets but crawiys under the counter pane and on walks .
 
Hello to all on the Meseta
I am one of the unfortunate ones who caught this virus and had a day of tests in hospital. Mainly because of my age and prior surgery.
l now OK but need rest. The doctor said it is a seasonal virus and not related to the food or water as many think we’re the causes.
Vomiting and or diarrhoea but usually for about 24 hours.
Albergues very understanding when people need to stay on.
Buen Camino
Happymark
Happy to hear some of the walkers are recovering quite quickly. I had a pretty bad attack 3 days ago in Carrion Los Condes. Had to take a cab after about 10 k on the Meseta. Felt completely fine yesterday and happily walked 18 k into Leon from Ledigos. But was again up last night and unable to walk this morning. Wondering how long the virus can linger?
 
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I just read a Facebook post that claims that people are becoming ill in this area from water in a fountain. Has it been confirmed that it's viral?
 
I just read a Facebook post that claims that people are becoming ill in this area from water in a fountain. Has it been confirmed that it's viral?
I doubt there has been any confirmation. The rurnour/claim/guess/fact about fountains on the meseta has been around for a long time and is regularly repeated, including on this thread, until it becomes a common "belief."

I generally stick with tap water anyway.
 
@Krishna Sen Oddly I also started feeling ill in Fromista, and was really ill the next day. Taxied to Ledigos and slept all day there. Felt better and walked to Sahagun, when it got even worse. I took another taxi to Reliegos, but fine again the next day and walked into Leon with no problem. I had the same sort of problem in 2012 in Rabanal and in 2014 in Sarria, always referred to it as Camino Flu, but never seen so many people have it for so long as they did in late September, early October this year.
 
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Last year a lot of pilgrims that I was walking with started getting sick after around O Cebreiro. Some had to spend some time in the hospital. I think that it was probably a virus, and had nothing to do with water or food.
 
Yes, every year people are trying to pinpoint a source of some contamination or food poisoning, but it seems to be something that spreads in crowds at different times and places every year. I have never heard of anyone actually managing to confirm a source.
 
Having been a touch unwell myself coming out of Carrion de los Condes last week I have been conscious of the discussion regarding the source of so many bouts of illness amongst the peregrino community on the Camino Frances lately. I thought it worth telling others that while walking today through the village of Santa Catalina de Somoza, I saw a notice on public noticeboards and in a cafeIMG_20181029_104917.jpg, which (translated by Google Translate) seems to state: "'The neighborhood council of Santa Catalina de Somoza informs all users of water, that this is not suitable for consumption, so we recommend not using it." (see original attached). I stress this only applies to this particular village (on the section between Astorga and Rabanal del Camino). But it suggests that local councils are attentive to water quality and that they inform users when quality fails.
 
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One of my walkingmates was struck by either food poisoning (she thinks) or stomach flu (I think) two nights ago in Fromista and I was struck with stomach flu (I think) yesterday afternoon, after two nights in Fromista. My friends were at the end of their walk and have returned home, and I took a train to Logrono where I am beginning a solo walk to Ponferrada, Luckily I am now in Navarrete in a nice little hotel with my own private bathroom. I am staying an extra night to ensure I recover enough to walk on tomorrow morning.
In 2012, my two walking mates and I were all struck by a similar stomach bug between Carrion and Sahagun. What is it about this part of the Camino? (I only ever drink tap water.)
 
I always carry a few chlorine dioxide tablets in case I need to be doubly sure of a water source. They came in handy climbing to Hospitales on the Primitivo as I'd forgotten to refill before the climb. I was able to collect some highly questionable water dribblong off a rockface and treat it in the bottle. They are not something you can use regularly though as you need to treat the water so there is residual chlorine left (i.e. all the baddies have been oxidised) so it tastes like drinking swimmingpool water, but ok in an emergency.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
It's been about three weeks now and I'm still getting hit with bouts of this. It is a sad post-Camino vacation to be in Italy and not want to eat, let alone walk. I get tired easily and prone to chills and fever. I've emailed my doctor for advice; don't have time to get to one here. In retrospect I should have taken time to see one on the Camino, but I thought I was getting better.
 
Maybe I'm the only one but I walked through the area a little over a week ago, drank the local water and ate at café's and had no ill effects.

Faulty water seems unlikely, more due to close sleeping quarters which assist in spreading disease.
 
Walked the area last week no problem. Used fountains and ate local food. I think vino tinto kills all germs
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hello to all on the Meseta
I am one of the unfortunate ones who caught this virus and had a day of tests in hospital. Mainly because of my age and prior surgery.
l now OK but need rest. The doctor said it is a seasonal virus and not related to the food or water as many think we’re the causes.
Vomiting and or diarrhoea but usually for about 24 hours.
Albergues very understanding when people need to stay on.
Buen Camino
Happymark
We stayed the night 1May in Carrión de los Condes The next morning I began to develop intestinal problems I walked 5 miles and became very very sick. The symptoms for me were viral headache, achy joints, weakness, vomiting and diarrhea very similar to Noro virus. The one that is sometimes spread on cruise ships. Very contagious and hard to control my wife caught the same symptoms 12 hours later we laid up for two nights in Bercianos del Real Madrid. Recovery came after almost 24 hours of sleeping.
Bon Miguel
 
We stayed the night 1May in Carrión de los Condes The next morning I began to develop intestinal problems I walked 5 miles and became very very sick. The symptoms for me were viral headache, achy joints, weakness, vomiting and diarrhea very similar to Noro virus. The one that is sometimes spread on cruise ships. Very contagious and hard to control my wife caught the same symptoms 12 hours later we laid up for two nights in Bercianos del Real Madrid. Recovery came after almost 24 hours of sleeping.
Bon Miguel

It is very strange that this keeps happening year after year to so many people. I hope you and your wife regain full recovery and your strength, and continue to enjoy your Camino. Your symptoms were the same as mine in early November 2018 and May 2012. Not nice!
 
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